


Yellow

by Seeyainhellcherry



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Eventual Smut, F/F, Flirting, Fluff, Jamie and Dani being themselves and there's constant tension, Jamie and Dani flirt and fall in love and it's the beginning of their sapphic dream life, Light Angst, Owen and Hannah are Canon and own a Café, Owen and Jamie are best friends, Romantic Fluff, Scenes between the 4 of them, Sexual Tension, Smut, Tension, Useless Lesbians, a lot of tension, even more tension tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:40:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27494383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seeyainhellcherry/pseuds/Seeyainhellcherry
Summary: Jamie Taylor is tending a beautiful garden, going unnoticed by many, but as one day a bunch of children and their teacher set foot into the gardener's holy ground she meets a young American teacher, Danielle Clayton.They get to know one another and the rest is just confetti.orJamie and Dani getting to know each other, flirting and falling in love. Slow Burn, but a lot of tension. I'll serve u, promise. ENJOY! :)
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 109
Kudos: 277





	1. The Day That Changed It All

The time the scene unfolded, happened to be in Spring.

One cherry blossom in the center of the garden just started to reveal it's buds of white and pink. More than ever, it seemed, plants sprouted out of the mud, evolving into all sorts of colors. Although the garden hadn't been a spectacle for the eye only. The smell of nature's wonders and fresh air attracted creatures of many. It was Jamie Taylor's credit really. Her gifted hands combined with the knowledge and intuition it took to look after something this precious was the secret to it all. Up until the day, the one that changed it all, she went unnoticed by many, making her way through the day.

And so even that day started out like any ordinary would. She rose up with the sunrise, made coffee, put on a denim jumper and flannel and drove to work listening to Fleetwood Mac. In front of the garden she greeted the construction workers, who had their hands full already, with a simple Salute while finishing her brew. Than she spent her time groundskeeping in peace and silence on whatever had to be done til lunch. 

It was nice and boring, but the gardener liked it that way. It was full of routine and surely a bit lonely sometimes. However it was simple and if Jamie's start into life teached her anything, than that simplicity is a blessing. So she learned to appreciate plants. Each day she poured her love into them, knowing they were worth the effort.

After replanting crocuses inside the greenhouse Jamie decided to give the tulips near the blooming cherry blossom some extra tending. 

Just as she had picked out some gloves, pruning shears, a garden fork and bucket she spotted a group of children marching trough the entrance of the garden, followed by what Jamie assumed would be their teacher. 

The pairs of hand holding children seemed to behave just perfectly under the educator's eyes. 

Jamie couldn't remember the last time she had seen a class of kids come into the garden, although it is open to anyone, but the grand gate leading inside could surely make the impression one would walk onto private grounds. It had a mysterious touch to it, which Jamie adored and once it got around to autumn this place just seemed naturally haunted each time the fog layed thick above the meadow. 

At the other end of the garden there was even a Manor in which botanical findings were stored with exhibitions all year around, but noone ever seemed to notice. 

Jamie focused on the plants in front of her, only ever so slightly distracted by the students. They were sitting down in a circle now, while the teacher explained something to them. If she happened to be interrupted by one of them, she would raise her voice in the kindest way so that even Jaime, a few feet away from them, could understand. The children seemed rather peaceful and listened to the blonde woman. 

Jamie was quite impressed by the skill of keeping a class of children under the age of ten perfectly under control. Especially because their educator seemed quite young herself. 

The gardener catched her gaze drift back to the teacher more often than appropriate, but let alone the way her back stiffened as she teached the children, drew Jamie in. Her bright smile seemed deeply charming and the body language utterly graceful. Everything that was the teacher's presence glued Jamie's eyes onto her, she felt enchanted, trapped by her sight. 

As the gardener catched herself starring, she shoke it off and buried her head deeper into the flower beds.

Next time she looked up, due to the noises of children running aorund, her gloves were coverd in mud. She watched the students, who were carrying boards with sheets of paper and pencils inside their tiny hands roaming trough the garden.

One kid walked right towards her stepping over a few flowers and even on one, which got Jamie's blood already boiling, but as he also had the audacity to kneel down a few feet away from her and tuck at them she lost it. Jamie's nature was quite peaceful, however if there was something she cared for, her furious temper revived. 

"Oiii MATE!" She screamed her words clouded by the heavy accent of hers.

"Don't you ever do that again. Do you hear me?" She asked now standing above him.

"What's the problem?" The teacher asked, hurrying towards them immediately. 

There was no hint of British in her voice, Jamie thought. The gardener watched her walking towards them in her long green skirt and a denim jacket. 

"Miles. What did you do?" The teacher asked disappointed as she positioned herself in front of him. 

Miles. Thats the name of the little shite, Jamie thought. 

"Nothin' much, Miss Clayton."

Jamie let out one bitter laugh turning away from the both of them. 

"Aha..." The teacher said to Miles, before turning to Jamie without meeting her eyes: "I'm so sorry." The tone in her voice changed completely as she addressed the gardener. 

"Miles, excuse yourself. I will not tolerate your bad behavior any longer." 

The teacher had blind faith in Jamie's anger. It did not matter all to much of what Miles had done, but upsetting the gardener just was enough of a reason for excusing himself. 

As he didn't do as he was told, the teacher raised her voice without kindness this time: "Miles, now." 

"I'm sorry." Miles said with his head hanging low. 

"Okay and now again, looking at her, trying to mean it." 

Jamie's eyes widened. That woman was good. The gardener cracked a smile, looking at the little boy, while removing her gloves. 

"I'm sorry Ma'am." He repeated looking in her face, but avoiding her eyes. 

"Was that really that hard?" The teacher asked without waiting for an answer. "Now go and wait for me under the tree, no solo action for you anymore. I'll be there in a minute." 

The boy did as she said and Jamie almost felt pity for him as his head hang low. The teacher watched him carefully, before turning to Jamie. 

"I'm so sorry." The blonde said again and Jamie's eyes met hers for the first time. One could drown in the blueness of them, Jamie admitted to herself. "I'm Danielle Clayton, but just call me Dani, really." 

She, Dani, held her hand out for Jamie to shake and so the gardener did. It seemed a bit awkward to her, to do that in their age. It felt odd.

"Jamie." The brunette said simply. Dani waited a second to see if there was more to come, but as Jamie remained silent she cleared her throat. 

"I'm really sorry for that one." Dani said nodding towards Miles. "Yeah, he's a bit of a trouble maker, but the rest is quite peaceful, I promise." 

Jamie just nodded, smiling shyly. The anger inside her still wanted to be felt, but now there was also Danielle Clayton, who seemed gifted by a natural kindness and who's fingers felt really soft. 

"Are you the gardener for here?" Dani asked pointing towards the meadow beneath them, seeming a bit nervous all of a sudden. 

"Yeah, I'm the groundkeeper." Jamie replied holding her gaze. 

"That's nice." Dani said, sounding like she meant it. "For real, I stumbled upon the park yesterday by pure accident and thought I'd just had to tuck the children along. It's so beautiful." 

Jamie looked away smiling slightly. She couldn't remember the last time someone voiced an appreciation for her work, which was the only reason she let her get away with calling the garden a 'park'. Well maybe half the reason. 

"No, it really is." Dani said reaching out for Jamie in such a natural way that it took the teacher by her own suprise. Before her hand could meet Jamie's skin, the brunettes eyes already glanced into Danis once again and the teacher was fast to make sure that she kept her hands to herself. 

"And the children are already sitting in that classroom for way to long in their age anyway, so I just wanted to bring them here." Dani explained. "I hope you don't mind us, hanging around for a while." 

"Wish my teachers would have come up with an idea like that back in the old days." Jamie said, sounding more casual than she felt. 

"Yeah, right?" Dani said with a seriousness inside her eyes. 

"I mean did I got some strange looks by the conservatives as I said I'd bring the kids out here on my own?" Dani asks talking more to herself really. "Hell yeah. The new American with her alternative way of teaching." 

"Sounds refreshing." Jamie says smirking taking in all that is Danielle Clayton, who was way to preoccupied with herself. 

"As far as I can tell, you're doing great with the kiddos." Jamie said. "So chin up, Poppins."

Danis eyes started glowing at the sound of that nickname. 

"Thank you." Dani smiled. Jamie just couldn't resist looking at her. She bit the inside of her cheek just enough to swallow the tension inside her body. 

"Am I talking too much?" Dani asks. "If so I am desperately sorry. When I'm surrounded by people -10 my age or +10 all day long I get like that sometimes." Dani says with that look.

Jamie couldn't quite make it out yet, but it made her stomach drop in a unusual way. It was just something about the way she looked down and than up again with that crooked smile and the dimples and bright eyes. Oh shite, Jamie thought to herself. 

"You just excuse yourself a lot, but other than that..." Jamie said with a smirk on her face, her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. "It's all good. Really. I'm used to it ya know... All those plants, especially those tulips, they got quite the talkative nature." Jamie said changing the tone of her voice and pointing to the side, where the tulips were growing. 

Dani's face softened and she laughed sharply. Than she bit her bottom lip, looking up at Jamie again, seeming genuinely amused. It was than that Jamie's stomach dropped further.

A light peace, not meant to last long, fell around them. It wasn't awkward, instead it felt comfortable, safe even. They just smiled at each other. Than they didn't, just a pair of blue and green eyes admiring one another.

Dani cleared her throat before asking: "What did he do?" 

"Who?" Jamie asked confused feeling her cheeks redden ever so slightly. 

Although her stomach twisted itself and her body heated up, she knew that it wouldn't be quite obvious to Dani. The gardener knew how to play it cool with an authenticity that even convinced herself sometimes. 

"Miles, to the flowers. I was busy with the other kids as I heard you talking to him, but I didn't see what happened." 

"He stepped on them, which I could have overlooked." Jamie said. "But than he placed himself right next to me and started to break them off cruelly. I mean I hate to break it to them, but this is no playground after all."

"Yeah, of course not." Dani nodded. "Was he mean to you, before I arrived?"

"No." 

"Good than." Dani said and Jamie hesitated. 

Good than. What was good about that boy violating her garden, the plants she cared for each day? She was mad at Dani for putting it that way. But she was also glad that it offered her an opportunity to escape the conversation. The gardener knew that she might just had misread Dani's saying, but it was already too late. Jamie already saw her way out of this situation and she was so glad, but also so mad at Dani for offering her that chance. Jamie felt torn. Not simple. 

"I wouldn't call it that." Jamie said avoiding her eyes. "I really don't like people messing about with my garden." There was that tone of anger blended in with the coldish mask Jamie put on all of a sudden, that left Dani confused. 

"Yeah, no, I get that." Dani said, once again almost reaching out for the gardener. "But he's just a kid after all." The teacher continued looking at Jamie hopefully. 

As nothing within her seemed to soften, she went on: "But I will talk to him of course, his beh-"

"Maybe you should do that than." Jamie interrupted her. 

She met the confused eyes of Danielle Clayton one last time. Her gaze lingering as she took her first step backwards. The gardener turned around removing her left glove, putting it inside her pocket leaving the rest of her garden essentials laying in the dirt.


	2. Begin Again

The branches of the willow on the school yard grew upheavens, brushing against the window glasses of the classroom on the second floor. Inside Danielle Clayton sat onthe teacher's desk in front of the chalk-stained blackboard. Her chin rested on her fist, eyes looking at the painted flowers unevenly taped to the pane of glass. The last student had left the room already about a quarter ago or was it an half hour? 

Danis head sunk into her hands. This morning she had been sure that the worst part of her day would be done as freezing drops of water hit her soft skin at 7am. You would think that one would get used to cold showers, if the hostel you stay in runs out water each 3 to 4 days, but apparently you don't. 

Than she headed to school, still covered in goosebumps from head to toe, but a plan maped out on how to convince the school board for approving of weekly excursions. After countless of evil glances exchanged between the headmaster and his secretary, a bunch of negative mentions about Americans and a view indiscreet insults about being a young teaching woman, they approved in the end. It only could get better from there and it actually had. 

Meeting Jamie, quite accidentally, let her forget about the morning she just experienced. Danielle didn't knew if it was the rough attitude with the sharp edges around her face or the soft green eyes and sarcastic sayings, but her company felt good, even though it smitted her with tense nerves all at once. 

Never ever Dani would have guessed that Jamie's presence would linger the most in the afternoon, turning the pit of her stomach upset in a bad way. The teacher just couldn't wrap her head around it. She went over their conversation at least a billion times already, but she just couldn't spot where she went so wrong. Wrong enough to make the gardener leave her own ground. 

Her hands wandered down her face as she shook her head, feeling her blonde waves curl along her shoulder with each turn to the side. 

Pictures of Jamie, bits of their conversation rushed through her head. Dani knew that people walked differently, but it seemed like she only now grew aware of it that she saw the gardener walk away. Jamie's steps were long, her feet hitting the ground heavily, while her body carried lightness, straight-back and chin up. 

It felt strange to wreck her brain about this situation so much, but she couldn't just forget it either. Upsetting Jamie felt like a fault in her character. She couldn't let that rest. 

Which is why Danielle Clayton made her way up to the garden once again.  
Hot steam and the smell of coffee tickling the inside of her nose, coming from the two coffee mugs burning the skin on her hands. 

The teacher stepped through the gate looking for her gardener. She sneaked around the large ground feeling the cups leave burn marks and steadying her grip around them, because the pain helped. It guided her focus away from the nervousness inside each cell that she's been feeling ever since she left the school. 

With tired feet and hopes held low Dani stumpled upon a greenhouse in the corner of the garden, seeing a shadow move inside. All of a sudden her bones felt heavy, but the white sneakers continued to carry her towards the conservatory. 

"If you can't beat fear, just do it scared Danielle." She whispered to herself like a mantra to stop herself from thinking. Dani couldn't remember the time she had cultivated that habit, but it always made her feel braver than she was. 

The glasshouse entangled by ivy appeared even smaller the closer one got, although it wasn't in a constraining way, instead it seemed quite comforting. Maybe that was to blame on the amenity though. It was outlined by a desk on each side with one right in the center of the quarter and plants as far as the eye can see. A green couch, looking quite vintage, probably having a history of its own, adorning the front of the desk. 

Jamie stood behind the table in silence, adjusting a bouquet of flowers, lillies, as far as Dani could tell. The teacher couldn't bring herself to say something directly, to pull her outside of a peace that was completely hers. With her focus on the gardener her mind wandered. Jamie had a kind of beauty that remained unremarked, like nature ironically. 

A waterfall, forests or the ocean had many lovers. They were nature's purest tressures, but what about the daisy that grew out of the creeks of pavement or the tree that grew right outside your house, weathering all the seasons? That was the way Jamie was beautiful. 

Dani got lost insight, abruptly awoken as Jamie's gaze fell into hers. 

"Dani?" The gardener questioned, like she considered her sight a dream. 

"Hey." Dani said absent mindedly, stepping through the frame. 

Jamie's expression seemed unreadable to Dani. Her forehead was covered in wrinkles, her mouth slightly pouted as she held onto the flowers tightly. It sent literally shivers down the teacher spine and she had to take a deep breath. 

"I'm sorry, but I just can't get over the way we left it earlier." Dani said hurried, having her words nearly stumble above one another. 

"So I wanted to make it up to you. I don't really know what it was that upsetted you, if I'm being honest. But whatever it was. It wasn't my intention." Dani stepped closer, once again seeming braver than she felt. 

Jamie glanced at her utterly confused. Just as Dani looked down on her hands a corner of the the gardeners mouth went up, but remaining unnoticed. 

"I brought you coffee." Dani blurted out holding out one of the cups, although Jamie wasn't even close enough to her to take it. 

"I'm making things awkward, aren't I?" Dani said smiling desperately and nodding. 

Jamie just stood there, frozen in her place and movement. Why wasn't she saying anything? Dani's inside felt panicked, her cheeks felt hot, sweat emerged, the silly coffee mugs were seriously hurting her by now and she just wanted to sink into the ground beneath her. 

"I am." Dani nodded to herself, eyes growing wide.

"I'm so sorry, I'm just... I'm just gonna leave." Dani was already about to turn around, leave this park for good. Never return, avoid the street, move back to America even, if that meant she could forget this ever happened. 

Putting one feet in front of the other was the only thing she was able to focus on, as Dani was marching towards the door. 

"Poppins." It was this word and the hand around her upper arm that made her stop in track. She didn't knew what came first. The touch or the nickname. 

She turned around meeting the most intoxicating dark green eyes. They reminded Dani of running trough a forest and lying on a meadow, feeling blades of grass tickle your exposed skin as you breath in summer air. There was a rush and there was peace. 

"You just seem like a really genuine person and to be honest I haven't met a lot of that sort, since I got here and the thought that I put you off your own ground just- "

"Poppins." Jamie cut her off. She let go of her denim jacket, her eyes holding Dani's gaze and biting away a smile. 

"You didn't upset me, okay?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. 

It was the truth. She hadn't. That was not the feeling that made her leave. 

Dani nooded slightly, almost careful. 

"It's all good. We're good." Jamie said. She straightened her back, looking at the coffee. 

We're. 

"You can come back anytime with the kids, okay?" Jamie asked. She turned around and took a few steps towards the desk in the center.

"So you're telling me I'm acting mental for no reason?" Dani asks watching Jamie lean her back into the table that was still covered in flowers. 

She walked towards Jamie locking eyes as the gardener nodded. 

"Yeah, basically." Jamie said smirking and clearing her throat of the husky sound. 

"You must consider me crazy now." Dani said half smiling and blowing air out of her nose. 

The gardener tilts her head from the left to the right, before saying the words Dani secretly hoped for: "I do not." 

Jamie had heard the hint of seriousness and decided to answer free from a sarcastic remark. 

Something lifted off of Dani that she had carried around with her throughout the day, made her feel more like herself again. Maybe more than she had felt ever since arriving in London, maybe even before that. 

"So's that coffee for me?" Jamie asked, tearing Dani out of her thought. 

"Yeah." Dani handed the cup to her, inspecting her hand, which truly was colored in an concerning shade of red. "I hope you drink coffee, but I just assumed you would." 

"You're in England Darlin'." Jamie said smiling bright like this sentence alone would explain everything. "Everyone's drinking coffee around here." The gardener continued, making her way behind the desk once again. 

"You gotta tell me thou' Poppins" Jamie said with her back facing Dani. "Is this the American way of befriending someone?"

Jamie looked at her, held her gaze with a smirk on her lips. 

Friends. 

"Acting mental at one's workplace and bringing them coffee?" Jamie continued with one raised eyebrow and big smile. "Because if so I must reconsider my beliefs about Americans."

"Well what are your beliefs than?" Dani asks positioning herself right in front of the gardener with only the desk separating them. 

"Oh you don't wanna know." Jamie says eyes widening, looking at the flowers spread in front of her once again. "Just let me say that acting off one's trolley suits them, but the acts of services... That's new to me."

Jamie looks up at Dani biting a smile away on her lip and Dani laughs. The real laugh. 

"Well first of all, we're nice people as well." Dani says putting her cup on the table. "Secondly I've got the feeling I'm about to impact your beliefs quite positively, actually."

This saying could have gone subtle, but there was just something in the way Danielle Clayton rested the both of her hands on the table or how her eyes lingered with an expression that dared Jamie not to look away. 

Jamie nodded slightly, biting the inside of her lower lip. 

"Well you're off to a good start than." Jamie said holding onto her gaze. The tension layed heavily inside the room, but not in an unpleasant way at all. 

Still it was Jamie who grabbed the cup of coffee leading it to her lips. 

"Tastes good?" Dani asked as the gardener hadn't even swollowed. 

"Perfectly." She answered, looking Dani up and down. 

The teacher gulped down a few sips as well, enjoying the lukewarm liquid that was equally bitter and sweet running down her throat. As she placed the cup on the table once again, she took a closer look at the flowers in front of her. They were purple and pink lillies, unmistakable due to their one of a kind smell. 

"Am I keeping you from your work?" Dani asked out of the blue as it only occurred to her just now that she might and Jamie would be too kind to mention it. 

"Not really. I'm just finishing this Bouquet for a friend I was heading to." Jamie said only shortly looking up at Dani. 

"What's the occasion?" Dani asked. You would have to really know her to hear the suspicion inside her voice, but it was definitely present. 

Jamie searched her gaze, but it rested on the flowers. "It's her birthday today and lillies are her favorite." Jamie explained. 

"So I am keeping you from something..." Dani said smirking before taking another sip. 

She watched the gardener adjust each flower, one by one. It seemed like they spoke a secret language that only Jamie understood. 

"I wanted to ask earlier already." Jamie said changing the subject. "But what were you doing with the kids here earlier?" 

Dani couldn't hide a smile by the thought of Jamie not wanting her to leave. 

"Hope your off one's trolley American ass didn't show them how to push each other's inside the rose bushes." Jamie said, having Dani roll her eyes and shaking her head in annoyance with a big smile on her lips. "They're not forgiving you know." The gardener pointed with a flower on the blonde, before sticking it carefully into the bouquet. 

"It was for art class, told them to pick something and sketch it." Dani answered, watching Jamie take a sip from the coffee. "So they could later retrace it and color it." She continued. 

"My main goal was to get them out of that school, do something creative, just something that wasn't according to a set pattern." Dani explained gesturing with her hands. "I just wish I could do more." 

Jamie watched Dani carefully. Every time she started to talk about the children everything else didn't matter. It was her talking and the rest of the world just blended into something separate of herself. Jamie knew how that felt and she was glad as well, because Dani became unaware all of a sudden. Unaware of the way Jamie looked at her or how she bit her lips. 

"Get them here and have whole lessons." Dani said finishing her coffee. "Wish I could teach them more practical things, instead of just filling their heads with knowledge." 

"You could though." Jamie said, Dani's eyes meeting hers with her forehead slightly wrinkled. 

"I mean, I could surely keep a dozen of gremlins busy for an hour a week." Jamie explained with a shrug of her shoulders. "No heavy work of course. But something to nurture their green thumb. Getting active, care about their environment." 

"You'd do that?" Dani asked wrinkles around her nose and smirk on her plumb lips. 

"Why not?" 

Because you don't like children. 

"Excuse me if I'm mistaken, but..." Dani looked down at the empty cup of coffee in her hands, fumbling around with it nervously. Jamie grew suspicious and put down the finished bouquet. 

"What?" The gardener asked daringly. 

"You don't seem quite fond of children." Dani said smiling, hoping she'd let it pass, but her face got all sharp edges with her lips forming a line. 

"Jamie." 

And the gardener swore that she never wanted to hear it from anyone else ever again. 

"You literally call them gremlins." Dani explained stepping closer to Jamie. 

"Because they are." Jamie said tying a ribbon around the bouquet. "You're in or not?" 

"Of course." It took Dani no time reply. 

"Get them aprons and gloves. And I'll see you next Tuesday around 10." Jamie said looking up at Dani, who stood right in front of her all of a sudden. 

"Next Tuesday it is." Dani said with her eyebrows raised. Her voice nothing more than a whisper. 

"You sure I won't get to see you a third time today, Poppins?" Jamie interrupted cheekyly looking away. "If so I like my coffee black."


	3. Beautiful Mess

Jamie Taylor's week went on just like any other would have. The only extraordinary thing was Hannah's birthday on Tuesday. They celebrated it in Owen Sharma's Café: The Batter. When you get down to it, it was really just the three of them, Owen, Hannah and Jamie herself with some regulars, who occasionally added something to their conversation.

Hannah wouldn't have liked to celebrate her birthday in a big circle anyway. She's a loving person, who makes friends easily, but a private one as well. All three of them were. Jamie thought, that this might be the core of their friendship. 

Actually it was just Owen the gardener had befriended, but than he introduced Jamie to Hannah and one thing lead to another so smoothly that she couldn't even remember a time that it wasn't the three of them. 

Even though Jamie spent a wonderful time laughing the night away and drinking too much wine, her highlight had remained the American. 

She was dearly impressed and awestruck by Dani's action. Jamie wasn't sure why the teacher was so eager to have things alright between them, but she did enjoy her company. After all that was the thing that made her leave in the first place, the feeling of attraction towards her. That emotion, which makes you want to get to know a person, really get to know them, get lost in conversation with them, so involved in them that you become part of their story. 

Not only did Danielle Clayton make her feel such a thing, but she was also kind and honest, had her heart at the right place as far as Jamie could tell. 

Not to forget nice on the eyes too. The bright smile and blue eyes, blonde hair that hugged her shoulders and her perfectly shaped curves. All of those features had been on the gardener's mind more than she liked to admit. Not to mention the sound of her giggle or the way her name sounded coming from Dani's lips. 

So naturally as Jamie saw the teacher sitting underneath the cherry blossom on Friday afternoon there appeared a smile on her lips that she just couldn't bite away. 

The gardener was just making her way back to lock the greenhouse and call it a day as she spotted the teacher sitting legs crossed on the meadow. 

She walked closer to Danielle Clayton, who looked down at papers that layed spread around her. 

"You just can't get enough of me, can you Poppins?" Jamie asked out loud as she was just close enough for Dani to hear, but the blonde didn't look up, not even the slightest bit. 

The gardener sensed something was off and rushed to her. 

"Poppins, you alright?" Jamie asked seriously, kneeling down in front of her. 

The beautiful American met her eyes just briefly faking a smile and whispered: "Yeah." Than she looked back down again, biting on her upper lip with tears spilling from her eyes. 

"God I'm so sorry." Dani said. "It's what? The third time you see me and I'm acting mental once again." 

It pained Jamie to hear her say such thing, even more got to her the amount of times she heard the teacher excuse herself, since they had met. 

"Well, you're keeping my plants watered, so I wou-" Dani's sad laughter interrupts Jamie's saying, to the gardener's relief. 

She wanted to reach out for Dani, but she didn't yet know the language of her body, how to touch her and if she wanted to be touched. Jamie just remained quite for a second or two, giving Dani some space, because she guessed that if there was something she wanted to share she would. And she was right. 

"I left my life in America, because it wasn't even a life. Things happened, but I didn't feel them happening." Dani said looking into the distance. 

Jamie watched a tear roll over Dani's cheek and onto her jaw. 

"Everything just rushed by me." Danielle Clayton said nodding. "So I came to London." 

The teacher closed her eyes and Jamie gazed at her careful and peacefully, not wanting to cause any harm by looking to closely or hardly. 

"But London is just also not what I indented it to be." Dani smiled in sadness. 

"I mean the children are great and I love my job." The teacher looked at Jamie, who held her gaze. "I really do."

Jamie sat down next to her at a safe distance, but just close enough as well. 

"I can make a difference and it really is my calling, but having to proof oneself every day at that school, it just gets a lot sometimes." 

Dani looks down again fumbling with the hem of her lilac knitwear pullover seeming small all of a sudden. 

"And it's like my old life just haunts me." Dani explained. "Everytime I feel like I'm finally here, something reminds me that I'm not." 

Jamie nodded, knowing dearly how that feels like. 

"I'm so sick of it. I just wanna be here." Dani said looking into the green eyes she kept memorizing ever since meeting.

Jamie looked at her sympathizing and the teacher gazed into the distance once again. 

"I don't cry around people like ever." Dani said wishing away her tears. "And of all people-" 

"Well, I cry 3 to 4 times a day around here." Jamie said cutting Dani off, who's looking at her suprised. "Yeah it's true, I means how else do you think I would keep all this fuckin' plants watered."

Danielle Clayton laughs again and gosh how Jamie loved the sound of that. 

"You're quite the help, I swear." Jamie said smiling to herself as she watched the teacher's head hang low giggling to herself. "They say that this summer might bring a drought and all, so it's quite the good precaution actually..." 

Dani looked up at the gardener, biting down on her lip and shaking her head. 

"What's all of this?" Jamie asked pointing to the papers, switching the topic and trying to make the heat inside her cheeks go away. 

She looks down at the sheets spread around Dani. They're clearly children's painting showing various of motives, containing everything from flowers to the clouds, the trees and insects. Each one pretty unique, due to different materials, painting techniques and skill. 

"No wonder you're bawlin-" Jamie had only now realised the intense look on Dani's face, who was watching her bent over the drawings. 

It made the gardener's skin tingle and left her questioning what exactly she meant to Danielle Clayton. 

"-bawling your eyes out at that talent." Jamie continued clearing her throat and looking down once again. 

"You're such a meanie." Dani said casually. "Admit it, some of those are quite good." 

Jamie actually thought all of them were good in their own way, especially considering the age of Danielle's students. 

"Whatever you say, Ms Clayton." Jamie answered raising one of her eyebrows at Dani. 

The educator smirked at her with a look inside her eyes that made Jamie wonder, where all of this could lead to. 

"What are you up to this evening?" Jamie asked placing herself once again aside from the teacher. 

She wondered, if Dani came here to see her. It was around 5pm, which meant her shift was long finished already, but on the other hand how would Dani know that. The gardener had helped the workers close to the garden, chatting with them a bit and finishing up a bouquet for a girlfriend from one member of the construction crew. To say that spotting Dani here was an accident would be a complete understatement considering how many random occasions where the reason for having the gardener run late. 

"Grading those." Dani said with widened eyes.

"It's Friday." Jamie stated, like Dani would not know, but all she did was shrug her shoulders with a light smile on her lips. "Poppins, you will not sit here grading those master pieces Friday evening." 

"Well you know, got not-" 

"You fancy a drink-" Jamie asked. 

You fancy a drink with me?, she wanted to ask, but it was bold and took more coolness than she had left inside of her. But Dani just looked at her and so she was forced to. 

"You wanna get a drink with me?" Jamie asked looking into the distance, wondering if the teacher would notice the shaking of her voice. 

"I might have to get something to eat first." Danielle Clayton said shyly, looking at the gardener, who's gaze fell in and out of her eyes again and again. "Because I haven't in a while and than I get drunk way to easily and I don't--" 

Dani smiled to herself. 

"I can't--" Dani said rubbing on her dark blue denim jeans. "My point is you will not get to see me that drunk-" 

"I've got an idea--" Jamie said smirking at Danielle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always happy when you guys let me know what you think of the story/chapter! :))) hope u enjoyed this. wish u a very wonderful day and thanks for reading *-*


	4. Sugar Drunk High

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry for the late update, but this took quite long. I'll probably post more frequently at the end of next week though.  
> Enjoy the read :)))

The sun hid between skyscraper buildings with glowing steams falling around Danielle Clayton and Jamie Taylor as they made their way towards Owen Sharma's Café: The Batter. 

Jamie had told the teacher, that Owen was a close friend of hers, who had his store just across the street from the garden. They had met as Jamie became the new groundskeeper, she explained. Her poor cooking skills were to blame that she always had to eat out for lunch and Owen's Café offered just the perfect spot for that. 

The teacher had listened closely to every word that left Jamie's lips, blending out the busy street around them. Instead she watched the gardener walk with ease in her baggy grey pants and button up shirt. 

Furthermore Jamie explained her that Owen makes the most delicious food, serves the best wine and had an absolute sweetheart for a wife with who Dani will get along just perfectly. 

Danielle grew nervous at that thought, because what if she won't? 

"You good, Poppins?" Jamie asked to the suprise of Dani. She was amazed at how well the gardener already read her body language and utterly scared of it as well. Not wanting to imagine what looks she all could have picked up on. 

"Yeah." Dani answered nodding. Jamie stopped in her tracks and the teacher watched her entire body coming to a hold. 

"After you, Poppins." Jamie said gazing into her eyes. The teacher looked around her. 

She hadn't realized that they already arrived at the Café, but the header above the store aside from them stated it clearly. 

The front of 'The Batter' was filled by brown square shaped tables and cappuccino colored seats with golden ornaments. Dani thought the establishment looked comfortable and inviting, but what stood out the most was that the entire setting outside was framed by plants and trees. 

"My good influence." Jamie explained as she noticed that Dani looked at the greenery. The teacher nodded with a smirk on her lips and turned towards the entrance. In the corner of her eyes she could catch Jamie's gaze drop lower on her body. 

Danielle Clayton stepped through the door followed by the gardener. After seeing only a few guests outside she had expected to face more on the inside, but the place was comfortably crowded. 

On the left side of the room a long counter adorned the space with familiar lillies in a vase on top. Jamie lead the way to the bar as Dani still took in the sight of the new surrounding. 

"Jamie, there you are." A man behind the counter shouted as soon as he spotted Jamie. "Already started to worry. I mean the only thing that makes you punctual is your hunger after all, innit?" There was a big smile on his face and not a hint of bitterness inside his voice, instead one could watch his mustache dance above his lips. 

"Shut up and give the hard working woman a break." Someone in the distance answered sounding equally as kind. A gorgeous woman, Dani thought to herself, made her way to the front of the bar. She looked at Jamie smiling a bright and kind smile, but as she viewed Dani she came to a hold. 

"You must be Danielle Clayton." The woman said and narrowed her eyes to slits. "Aren't you honey?" 

"Yes." Dani answered nodding, clearly suprised that the woman not only had a clue who she was, but also that she memorized her entire name. 

Had Jamie been talking about her? She must have, but for what reason exactly, the teacher questioned. 

"The American?" The man, who Dani recalled as Owen from Jamie's description, shouted from the back. 

What is going on here, Dani wondered. Had she made such an impression on the gardener that she told her friends about her after their first meeting, Danielle marveled. 

Dani looked at Jamie with a puzzled look on her face, clearly looking for an answer, but the gardener kept avoiding her eyes. 

"I'm Hannah Grose." The woman in front of her said smiling warmly putting out her hand for Dani to shake. "It's such a pleasure to be meeting you." 

"Likewise." Dani answered nodding and taking her hand gladly. "Please just call me Dani." 

The American gazed from Hannah in front of her to Jamie, who had taken a seat on top of a bar stool and having Owen whisper something to her. 

"Poppins, this is Owen." Jamie said clearing her throat completely ignoring the man's whispered words. 

He leant over the counter to shake Dani's hand as well, before saying: "I'm Owen Sharma, husband to Hannah first, Chéf of this place second." He smiled a big smile. It was generous and loving and seemed to fill the entire room with light. "And I'm so very pleased to meet you." 

"Dani." The teacher only whispered, since everyone already seemed to know her anyway. 

"Listen to this man, isn't he just charming?" Hannah asked only looking at Owen, who winked at the gorgeous black woman in front of Danielle. 

"Please make yourself comfortable Dani. It's really a pleasure to have you here." Owen said to the teacher. "Can I get you anything?" 

"Yes." Jamie answered for her, looking at her for the first time again. The American tried to read the odd look on her face, but she couldn't make it out. 

"I've got the whole British classics: Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, Shepard's Pie. I'd even be willing to make an exception for you and make you an Full English Breakfast." Owen explained. 

Dani's eyes grew wider listening to the menu. Her stay in London hadn't been exactly short, but sometimes she had trouble remembering how all the meals looked like and if she enjoyed them or not. 

"I've got some dishes inspired by my time in France as well, if you're up for that. We've got Bœuf bourguignon, just beef stewed in red wine really or Coq au Vin, which is chicken braised in red wine, lardons and mushrooms." Owen explained gesturing around with his hands and having his French pronunciation sounding perfectly. "Or if you've got more of a sweet tooth. I could heat up a croissant or cor-"

"Jesus Owen, stop overwhelming this innocent American." Jamie cut off the Chef, having seen the puzzled look on the blonde's face next to her. "I'd recommend you the Shepard's Pie." 

Danielle was quite glad that Jamie saved her. "Shepard's Pie sounds nice, but maybe got something without meat?" Dani asked carefully, seeming a bit nervous. 

It's been a while that she had met new people around here and that they meant a lot to Jamie didn't make it quite easier. She was just a bit out of practice with people her age aside from Jamie, which felt like something else entirely. 

"I'm not the biggest meat eater..." Dani added smiling shyly at the man in front of her. 

"Owen can surely make you one with vegetables, can't you Darlin'?" Hannah said behind her, stepping closer to her and putting one hand on her shoulder. Dani looked at Hannah, suprised by her supportive gesture, but her back who she hadn't noticed was tightened relaxed all of a sudden. 

"Absolutely." Owen nodded smiling bright. 

"Thank you." Dani answered, looking at Jamie, who's eyes already layed on her or rather said at the place where Hannah's hand had just rested. 

"Can I offer my guests something to drink?" Owen asked. "Jamie?" 

"Coffee for me please." The gardener said rather uninterested. 

"You sure? Got new wine in the back." Owen smirked. 

"The night is young." Jamie answered glancing at Danielle smoothly. 

"Could I get a cappuccino?" The American said, much more confident than before and Owen seemed to pick up on it. 

"You're wish is my command." He answered, disappearing in the kitchen. 

"Come on Poppins, we'll head outside." Jamie said, jumping off the bar stool with ease, her converse making a dull sound as they hit the ground. "Leave the master to his work." 

Hannah had disappeared behind the counter once again. Her fingers were wrapped around a pen noting something down inside a book. Without looking up she said: "I'll bring you you're hot beverages in just a second." 

Danielle and Jamie took a seat outside on a squared desk, sitting on the two ends right next from one another. Dani's eyes followed every movement as the gardener adjusted one foot on her chair, shifting around with her lower body until she made herself comfortable enough. 

"Does Hannah work here too?" The American asked and rested her brown leather bag on one of her chair legs. 

"Yeah she does, they match each other quite well it turns out. She's doing the paper work, lot of the cleaning as far as I know and manages this whole place." Jamie explained unrevealing a package of Marlboros and putting them on the desk. "Bet this place would crash without Hannah."

Dani nodded looking at Jamie. The way her brown curls fell around her face, wild and untamed, the sharpeness of her jawline that remained all the same with each movement. She wondered, if the gardener knew how beautiful she was to look at. 

Beautiful surely, but she also made her laugh, didn't force her to give her answers she hadn't yet herself and looked at her in a way she wouldn't at Hannah or Owen. 

"Well, they do seem like a great team." Dani added. 

"It's almost like Owen attracts all the people and Hannah keeps them comin' back." Jamie explains looking off into the distance. 

Dani nodded and the gardener gazed at her, coughing slightly before asking: "So Poppins, you a vegetarian or somethin'?" 

"Kinda, yeah." Dani said nodding watching Jamie play with a silver lighter. 

"You entertain gremlins for a living and spend your Friday evening grading papers and now you're telling me you don't eat meat." Jamie said shaking her head, making the brown curls around her face shake. 

"When again will you start impacting my beliefs about Americans positively?" The gardener smirked and Dani rolled her eyes. 

"Haven't I already?" Dani asked daringly leaning forward. 

"To be truthful Poppins, you-" 

"Because if not why would you wanna get a drink with an good ol' American?" Dani asked a light smile on her lips and seeming quite pleased with yourself. 

"That's not about you being American, love." Jamie said casually, but as soon as she had spoken the last word she grew uneasy. Dani watched her shake her head one time, it was so quick like it barely even existed at all, but she gazed off into the distance afterwards and continued to talk with ease: "It was to prevent ya from the boredom you were about to get yourself into." 

Dani watched Jamie, who had one finger pointed at her. 

"Uhu..." Dani mumbled leaning herself further forward. 

"And what's about speaking with your friends about me?" Dani asked. "You just enjoy gossiping about the American you just met, don't ya?" 

The teacher smiled quite astound about her own boldness, but she liked teasing Jamie. Really damn liked when the gardener held onto her gaze the way she did right now. 

They heard Hannah clear her throat behind them and Dani leaned back in her chair. She watched as the woman put a tablet on the desk in front of them with a black coffee, a cappuccino and a huge water bottle with some cups. 

"Thank you so much Hannah." Dani said smiling at her. 

"You're a star." Jamie added quietly. 

"You mind, if I join?" Hannah asked mostly looking at Danielle, who shoke her head already. 

"Of course not." Dani answered taking a packet of brown sugar and ripping it open. 

Hannah took the chair across from Jamie and sat down while stroking out the missing creases on her skirt. 

"This Café is just lovely Hannah. I adore the amenity." Dani smiled. 

"Oh, thank you, Dear. It really came together just about a few months ago, didn't it?" Hannah asked Jamie, who nodded absent-mindedly in return. "Must look just welcoming enough, because we're getting a great amount of customers."

Hannah smiled her light and kind smile, that Dani couldn't picture her without. She came across as deeply content and peaceful and it occurred to Dani that this might be the base of the three's friendship. 

"Enough about us folks. I'm really interested in you, Danielle. What brings a young American like you to England?" Hannah asked taking one of the cups and filling it with water. "If I may ask." 

"You know, the classic, just wanted to see the world." Dani answered nervously not even looking up from the brew in front of her. Instead she spooned away some of the cream on top of the coffee, feeling Jamie's eyes resting on her. 

"From the States to London, that's ways away from home. Quite impressive for a young woman." Hannah said kindly. "Don't you think, Jamie?" 

Dani looked at Jamie, who only nodded glancing at Hannah in a strange way. 

"Oh, thank you." The American said either way emptying the sugar packet. 

"And for how long have you been here?" Hannah asked. 

"I have been here for six months already actually. It took me quite some time to find a school that would employ me." Dani explained. "Longer than I had expected surely."

"But now you're teaching?" Hannah asked. 

"Yeah, I'm a teacher at the Wingrave Primary school. The hired me about a month ago." Dani said smiling. 

"That's just lovely." 

"You should see her with the kids. She's got them under control like it would be nothin'." Jamie added meeting Hannah's eyes. 

"I can only imagine." Hannah responded. "I worked as an housekeeper ages ago for a family manor, who had five children. All those noises, bloody hell, I didn't even make it past two summers." 

Dani giggled slightly about Hannah's saying, but feeling the words of the gardener rise into her cheeks messing with its color all at once. 

"What ages are you're students?" Hannah asked. 

"My students are between 8 and 9." Dani nooded. "They're all very lovely though."

"All of them?" Jamie whispered and Dani looked at her intensely thinking back to Miles. 

Behind them a group of people emerged and Hannah excused herself, telling them that she will be right back after taking care of them. 

As it was only the two of them Jamie reached out for her cigarettes pulling one out of its box. 

"Wanted to see the world, huh?" Jamie asked one corner of her mouth raised and with the filter rolling between her lips. 

Dani didn't know if the gardener was just making fun of her or if it was clear to her that her answer had been a lie. 

"Why start with England?" Jamie asked lightning the cigarette. "I can imagine better places."

"What's wrong with England?" Dani asked watching her pouted lips as she blew out the smoke. All of a sudden the gardener stopped gazing into the distance, meeting the eyes of the American. Jamie smiled to herself, but trying to bite it away, which made it much more obvious to Dani. 

The gardener just shrugged her shoulders as an answer and Dani had the urge to know everything about her. She wanted to know what she disliked about England and the reason she started to smoke, if she was aware of the kindness she had showed Dani, despite all the sarcastic remarks. She wanted to know if she was this way with everyone or if it was something she saved for Dani. 

"Isn't that quite controversial?" Dani asked instead. 

Jamie took the first drag blowing the smoke away from Danielle before looking at her, confusion written in her expression. 

"Gardening and smoking I mean." Dani said with raised eyebrows. 

"Touché Poppins, Touché." Jamie answered, smirking at her. 

Jamie was interesting and mysterious. She was comforting and felt safe, but like jumping in cold water and being on fire in the best way as well. The gardener made her feel a range of emotion she hadn't even dared to imagine. 

Danielle Clayton leaned forward, elbows on the table and her fingers reaching out for the cigarette Jamie held in the corner of her mouth. The thought of putting something between her lips that had just touched Jamie's made her feel like nicotine would already run trough her blood vessels. She held the cigarette amongst her pointing and middle finger guiding it carefully towards her mouth, before taking a long drag. 

She heard Jamie swallowing rather hardly before she said: "Ms Clayton, have you lost your marbles?" 

Instead of an answer she blew the thick smoke right towards the gardener, before her lips curled into a smile. 

"Dani, you want some cake after your dish?" They heard a manly voice behind them ask. She looked at Jamie in bewildered, who seemed equally confused. 

"I've been trying a new recipe and I need opinions, before I'll offer it in the shop." Owen said way to fast in an British accent that was not easy to make out 

"Su-" 

"Great!" Owen shouted already making his way back inside. 

"Eyy, what about moi?" Jamie asked angrily and amused. 

"Jamie, you know I'll poison you at any given chance, but you're Sweetheart is new to the group, so I obviously gotta ask." Owen explained and Dani smiled to herself. "I'll have your food ready in no time." 

After a few drags passed between Jamie and Dani, Hannah returned and Dani refused the cigarette as Jamie wanted to hand it to her once again. It wasn't that the teacher was uncomfortable smoking in front of Hannah, but the gesture just seemed like something intimate, something she only wanted to share with Jamie in the company of noone. 

The three of them talked about England and the States as Owen arrived with Dani's meal and cake for them all. Dani found out that while Hannah could barely make it trough one of the pieces, Jamie could finish a quarter of the cake by herself. 

As the last rays of sun appeared Owen let his intern handle the few guests left inside and sat down across from Dani. It turned out that Jamie was right as she said Owen would make the most delicious food and soon enough they started to trade coffee for wine. 

Owen just had the whole table laughing as he poured wine into Dani's glass once again. 

"He likes to wind me up." Hannah said leaning back in her chair and pointing to the man right next to her. 

"She likes me to wound her up." Owen added winking at Dani. "Who's up for a good ol' board game, huh?" 

Owen had an overly enthusiasm to him that was one of a kind, Dani had thought more than once in the short period that he sat at the table. 

"Hell noo man." Jamie said, while Hannah whispered: "Bloody hell." 

"I'd be up for it." Dani said, watching Jamie's annoyance with amusement. 

"Poppins, you can play those with your kids all week long." Jamie said taking a sip. 

"Dani I am really so pleased by your presence. Finally someone with taste, not like this bugger-" Owen explained looking at Jamie, before looking at Hannah to the right of him. "-and this wanker right here." 

Dani giggled taking a gulp of the red liquor. 

"Heaven help me this man." Hannah said. 

"But truth be told, I'm really glad you're here Danielle." Owen said. "You know since I have known Jamie she has never men-" 

"Mate, what you're still babbling about." Jamie interrupted, her cheeks the color of the wine. "Let's fetch the stupid games." 

Owen smiled and jumped of his chair with an excitement that reminded Dani of the children at school. 

The Chef picked out Ludo and together they played. One round alone took them ages, considering all the times they miscounted or laughed about one another's rage or watched Owen throw the dice across the entire table having it roll above the hem and landing on the ground. 

Everytime Jamie kicked out one of Dani's token she had a look of spitefulness written on her face saying something like: "Poppins, did ya children teach you nothin'?" or "Try again later, Ms Clayton.". Dani was just glad to have an excuse to look into her green eyes each time really. 

In the end it turned out Jamie wasn't quite good in losing, which was the reason they were now in for a second round. Hannah never realized when it was her turn, Owen was overly excited about everything that happened and Dani watched that they kept going round for round.

After two and a half bottle later a yawn coming from Hannah's lips made them realize that darkness had already set around them. 

"Yeah, I'm getting pretty tired too." Dani stated leaning back in her stool. 

"We should probably close the store, call it a night." Owen said placing his hand on Hannah's knee. 

"You need help?" The American asked. 

"Please Danielle, this is our job. You sit back and relax. Get yourself home." 

Dani just smiled across from her in return. 

"Yeah Poppins, I'll bring you home." Jamie said with ease standing up. 

Dani hung her bag around her shoulder and turned to Jamie telling her: "I will just pay and than we can he-" 

"Uh-no Dani. We don't want your American dollars." Owen interrupted her with an look of obviously faked disgust on his face. 

"Please let me-" Dani said looking for her wallet. 

"Hug you goodbye?" Owen asked stetching out his arms. "Of course I can do that." 

Dani smiled into the hug feeling tipsy. As Owen releases her, Hannah takes his place grabbing both of her hands lovingly and looking deeply into her eyes. They were soft and warm, Dani thought, but not the ones she wanted to hold. 

"It was such a pleasure meeting you, my love." Hannah said. She didn't hug her, but the gesture was equally as lovingly as the man's had been. "You can come back any time." 

"We hope to see you around." Owen shouts already standing inside the door with the tablet of empty bottles inside his hands. "You heard that Jamie?" 

Jamie just salutes him already walking onto the sidewalk of the street, waiting for Dani. 

The American followed her out into the dark catching up with her pace and now walking side by side, just like early, but it didn't feel like it at all. Earlier felt weeks away.

"You had a good time?" Jamie asked as she catched Dani swaying slightly from one side to the other. 

"Too good, I might think." She giggled. 

Dani looked at Jamie, who hid behind her brown curls Dani wanted to run her fingers through. Oh, how badly she wanted to touch her. 

The thing is Dani knew she was attracted to girls quite early on, but she thought if she just kept trying long enough with boys, she might eventually feel the way she's supposed to about them. Well, that never happened, but as she realized that, she was stuck already. Stuck in a life that didn't make her feel the way she was supposed to. 

Now there is Jamie and she can actually feel her. They don't even have to touch. Just walking next to one another makes her feel more things than kissing a boy ever did. She could only dream what kissing her would feel like. 

"I'm glad." Jamie said her voice nothing more than a whisper. 

"Thank you for today, for real, it meant a lot to me. All of it." Dani said slurring the words and feeling like they didn't come out the right way, but at least they were freed. 

"Any time." Jamie answered looking for Dani's gaze. 

"You mean that?" Dani asked and she didn't quite know why. Maybe she just wanted to hear Jamie's voice in that tone again. It sounded vulnerable and real and honest. 

"Yeah." 

Dani paused for a second and Jamie stepped right in front of her gazing into her eyes. 

The gardener's lips opened ever so slightly, but she decided to swollow the words that wanted to escape. 

They just looked at each other. The night hang above them and moonlight lit the empty streets of London. 

Dani cared about none of it. She just wanted to drown inside her eyes and so she did, because Jamie let her. The gardener's breath grew heavier with each second. 

The American wanted to let her know, to tell her: I want more than this. It doesn't feel right to be so far away from you, although we're standing closer than ever. 

It took all the bravery and strength in her to reach out for the gardener's hand, but she does without looking. She never held the hand of a girl like that, but it wasn't just to hold it either. It was to let her know that it was not a friendship she desired. Dani wanted her in every way that was not appropriate for a friendship. 

Jamie nodded knowingly, like she would understand even without words, like they'd speak the same language. 

Dani looked at her lips, heard how her breath got stuck in her throat and how she bit the inside of her cheeks as her fingers press tighter into Danis. That was enough of an answer for her. There were no words said. They were only to be felt and God did she feel them. 

Dani nodded too. Her heart beat quickened and her stomach danced, while her skin tingled. 

She let go of Jamie's hand and they continued to walk into the night, side by side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always happy about u guys letting me know what you think! :))))  
> Next chapter the tension will riseee a looot :)


	5. Outside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, sorry for the late update. From now on I will post more frequent again!! :)  
> I normally need 2 days for one chapter and I wrote this in one , but I really wanted to post so I will, but I will work over it tomorrow, so excuse me if it's different to the other's!  
> Anyway ENJOYYY :))  
> Update: It's the updated version:)

No cloud was to be seen on the blue skyline that hangs high above the garden. Instead, the sunlight that fell through branches and tree crowns heated the ground making the soil try and Jamie Taylor feeling hot in the gleaming morning sun.

Her flannel was already knotted around the waist of her jumper as 12 children or gremlins, as the gardener would refer to them, stood in front of her with wide eyes and fidgety temper alongside their beautiful teacher.

Jamie took in the sight of Danielle Clayton, who wore a rose-colored top, which highlighted the soft features, Jamie kept recalling when Dani wasn't around. On her hips sat baggy denim jeans showing off the American's figure that the gardener dreamed of discovering in other ways than with her eyes.

"As long as we're in this garden you will listen to Jamie." Dani went on positioning herself aside from the gardener, who had chosen to introduce herself to the children by her first name. Jamie watched her looking at them smiling brightly. "Her words mean as much as mine around here. Jamie, would you be so kind to tell them and me what we're doing here today." 

"Of course, Ms. Clayton." Jamie teased clapping her hands together and bringing the children's full attention to herself. 

"Today you will help me finish some tasks around her. I'm in the need of helping hands to harvest some fruits and deal with the weeds in one of my flower beds. You think you're the right ones for that?" Jamie asked. 

The children nodded, their eyes glowing with excitement. 

"So who's ready to pick some raspberries?" Jamie questioned watching as the student's hands raised into the air. "And who's ready to get their hands dirty?" 

Some hands still hung high, but with a sense of insecurity, while others dropped to the sides of their tiny bodies again. The excitement fainted from their faces and got replaced by a look of surprise and confusion. Jamie loved seeing the range of their expressions and already wondered how many more ways she could find to tickle a reaction out of them. 

"Can we put them into two groups? So six and six?" Jamie asked leaning to the side to whisper to Dani. 

"Whatever you say Ms. Groundskeeper. You're taking the lead. " Dani smiled. 

"I normally do." Jamie whispered to herself unsure if Dani had been able to hear. 

The gardener and teacher didn't get a chance to discuss today any further than last Tuesday. Since Dani hadn't reached out to her again, Jamie naturally thought of small tasks to keep the children busy and prepared everything in advance. All that Danielle had to do was to tuck the children along with her and she had. Nothing was planned, but still, everything seemed to work out pretty well for both of them.

"I will have to watch over half of the gremlins, so please, group them wisely." Jamie said looking into the eyes of the American. "If you want to take them all safe and sound with you again, I mean." 

Dani just shook her head with her lips curling up into a smile. Jamie loved to have that effect on her. It was so simple, yet made her feel so powerful to move something within the blonde that set free a bit of happiness. 

It didn't take long for the American to make up her mind about the groups, which was no astonishment to Jamie considering that Dani was a great teacher and must have a good feeling for her students.

"Harry, George, Emily, Mia, Abigail and-" The teacher looked around seemingly pleased with herself as she said: "Miles."

Jamie breathed in heavily, but she was careful to have her expression unchanged not wanting to give Dani the satisfaction.

"You go with Jamie." Dani continued in the same tone that she always heard the American talk to the children. Just like the change in her voice she had changed gestures when she was teaching as well. 

Jamie liked seeing her like that, but she loved seeing all of the profession drops from Danielle. When it was just the two of them it felt like she automatically stripped off a layer. 

"The rest will stay with me." Dani said looking at Jamie to signalize that it was her turn. 

"My team will pull some weeds with me and Da-" Jamie paused clearing her throat. "Ms. Clayton's group will pick some ripe apples and berries." 

The gardener looked at the children in front of her. One part of her couldn't believe she got so caught up with Danielle Clayton that she would invite those gremlins into her garden to work alongside them on free terms. 

"Afterwards we will switch the tasks." Jamie added as Dani got aprons from her bag. 

On the other side, Jamie was excited to have little helpers and some company for once. 

"Any questions?" Dani asked and Jamie felt lost in her sight. 

The last part that filled up way too little space inside of the gardener, wondered if it was such a good idea to be watching over kids with the girl she would rather be alone with. 

Many times she had thought back to Dani's hand that held onto hers and each time it felt like a dream. The gardener stopped counting how often she had to convince herself that it had actually happened. 

It still overwhelmed her. It overwhelmed her to have proof that the American felt about her the way that she had felt about her ever since Dani set a foot inside the garden. 

All the teasing was actually flirting. All the glances weren't just a game. 

A hand raised and Jamie snapped out of her thoughts. 

"Yes, Harry." The teacher answered. 

Jamie gazed over the children, who carried sparks of excitement inside their eyes. 

"Will we be back in time for lunch, ma'am?" Harry asked. 

Jamie bit her lip smiling to herself already growing fond of this gremlin. She wondered how Dani could stay serious. 

"Once again, yes we will be," Dani answered close to annoyance but keeping it professional still. 

Another hand raised. 

"Miles." Jamie said feeling Dani's eyes on her. 

"Will we learn something about the flowers around here?" He asked looking at the teacher, instead of the gardener. 

"Excellent question, Miles. I'm pretty sure Jamie can answer all of your questions if you have one." Dani explained as she held tight onto the aprons in her hands. It was so clear to Jamie that she was trying to get them on good terms. 

"I've chosen to take this garden as an example of an ecosystem in biology though. So the more aware you are around her the better." Dani blabbered to herself. "But for now all of you will get an apron and then we'll start." 

After a while, the aprons were put on and the groups divided. 

"So you'll be my team for today, won't ya?" Jamie asked as she was circled by her six gremlins and they nodded in return. "As I said before, we're gonna start with pulling some weeds." 

Their expressions seemed not all too excited about that, so Jamie thought about a way to cheer them up. 

"But afterward we can eat all of the fruits the other group has picked and watched them do the hard work. How does that sound?" Jamie whispered smiling down on them and earning herself some small giggles. 

She looked up to catch the sight of the American smirking at her. Dani raised her eyebrows, a slightly puzzled expression on her face, which looked quite pretty on her, Jamie had to admit.

"You ready?" Jamie asked the gremlins and everyone nodded once again. 

"But first of all, I have to get to know you a little better, won't I? Why don't we start with your names first." Jamie said as she started walking in the direction of the flower bed. 

"What's your name my dove?" She asked one of the girls. 

The gardener tried to memorize their name by attaching them to certain characteristics. Henry was the hungry one, who she'd remembered from earlier. Miles, she just wouldn't forget. George was the only other boy. Then there were the girls, which was a bit trickier. Emily was a sweet red-headed girl, who Jamie found quite adorable, but Mia and Abigail both had blonde hair and were about the same size. She knew she would have trouble keeping them apart. 

Her head was repeating the names as she grabbed the gloves off the grass near the flower bed, where Dani had put them. The gardener started to hand out one pair after the other while explaining to them everything they needed to know. 

"The buckets are for the plugged out weeds and those instruments right here-" She pointed at a few pickles. "-are for the real assho-" Jamie stopped herself before finishing that sentence smiling to her self. 

She cleared her throat. 

"Those are for the heavier roots."

How did Dani do that, Jamie wondered, looking around. Swearing came to one so easily, but even the striped off Dani never seemed to do it.

The teacher and her group were just behind the flower bed, where raspberry bushes stood. Her gremlins were already picking the fruits and shoving them into their mouths, while Dani leaned against an apple tree her hands crossed and eyes on Jamie. 

"Ms. Clayton." Jamie said loudly and with a faked fright. "Why you're just standing there. It's about teamwork, innit?" Jamie asked the children who stood beside and across from her. 

"Yes, Ms. Clayton it really is." Henry said turning around to her and Jamie smiled to herself, rather satisfied by their support. She liked that boy, although the nods of the rest also helped. 

The teacher rolled her eyes a bit, probably only getting noticed by Jamie, and walked towards them. 

"I was just about to help them, but then I thought Jamie-" Damn it, the gardener thought. The first time she heard her name coming from Dani's lips she could play it cool, but it gets harder and harder the more she hears it. "-could also teach me a thing or two." 

She surely wasn't prepared for that answer. Jamie wanted to pretend that it was the burning morning sun, that made her body grow warmer leaving her skin a little further sweat-stained, but the rays of the sun didn't even spark up the area of the flower bed yet. 

"About pulling weeds of course." Dani added uncrossing her arms in front of her chest and licking her upper lip. 

"Watch and learn." Jamie said with her breath rather short. 

It was there and then that she wished for the surroundings to fade away. As her wish wasn't fulfilled she cleared her throat. 

"Listen up Kiddos." Jamie said clapping her gloves together, her skin burning underneath Dani's watch. 

"The flowers we let inside and around the flower's we're especially careful to not pull out their roots by accident." Jamie explained loud and careful, trying to meet the eyes of each kid at least once. "Everything that's not a flower we pull out. If you're not sure what it is, just ask me. For the trickier roots, we use the pickles." 

"Understood?" Jamie asked gazing at the kiddos. Her words were short and direct, but seemingly just enough. 

"Yeah." Emily said and Henry made an "Mhm" sound while Miles answered, "Yes, Ma'am." 

"What more is there to wait for than. Let's get to it." Jamie said kneeling down and starting to grab a weed. 

She couldn't look at the teacher in front of her again. Not with the gremlins around, so she started to distract herself with them.

The gardener noticed that Miles, who was to her right, and Emely, who was to her left watched her motions carefully. Afterward, they started to mimic it and the gardener watched their tiny hands dig deep into the mud.

"Is that a flower?" Jamie heard a voice ask and it took her a second to realize that it wasn't one of the gremlins. 

Instead, it was Dani, who was leaning dangerously close above her. The gardener hadn't even noticed that she made her way around the flower bed. 

"It isn't." Jamie asked continuing to dig her hands further into the dirt. 

"Looks like one." Dani whispered close to her ear. 

"Some may look like a pretty flower, but are still weeds underneath." Jamie answered looking at Dani, who was oh so close. Forbidden close. 

"Are we still talking about flowers?" Dani whispered and stole a glance off the gardener's lips.

"I don't know, are we?" Jamie whispered back feeling the ends of Dani's braid tingle her upper arm. 

"Are you trying to tell me I'm just a weed than?" Dani asked with her eyebrows raised. 

"Bloody hell no." Jamie answered way too fast shaking her head. "You're far from it." 

Dani nodded with a smile on her lips.   
She looked at ease with the world. 

Jamie did not want to be so close to her right now. Not with the children around. Either it was working with the children now or be someone completely alone with Danielle, but the combination of both just seemed to burn her alive. The air got thicker with each second. She either needed Dani far away from her to breathe again or have her lips pressed against her own. 

"Dani, for the love of God-" Jamie never talked in the lord's name, but at this second it seemed appropriate. "-can you pl-" 

"Ms. Clayton." A brown-haired girl between the raspberry bushes screamed. 

"Yes, Flora." Danielle screamed back and looked at Jamie to whisper "I'm so-". 

"All good, all good." Jamie answered watching Danielle walk away back to her group. 

She breathed out heavily spotting Miles looking at her.

"Jamie." A voice called her. 

The gardener was glad about anything that would keep her mind far away from the American and the gremlins seemed to fulfill that task quite well. 

"Yes, George."

"Could I get a different pair of gloves?" The brown-haired boy with a mischievous smile and freckles asked. 

"What's wrong with yours mate?" Jamie asked seeing dirt fly around as Emily ripped out some stems. 

"They have holes." He answered. 

"Of course then." Jamie said pulling at the fingers of her gloves before removing them and laying them on the ground. 

In the corner of her eyes, she saw Miles digging close to the flowers. He was the only one who worked in silence. His movements were careful and if Jamie wouldn't have seen his unkindness to the flowers with her own eyes last week she wouldn't believe it's the same boy.

"You keep up the good work," Jamie told him sounding casual. 

Who would she be, if she didn't give this kiddo a second chance? She was a bit of a trouble maker herself not so long ago after all and if she held a grudge towards him, it seemed to her like it would have taught her nothing. 

"Miles, you're the team leader while I'm away. Keep an eye on the rest." Jamie said her heel already ready to carry her body towards the greenhouse. 

"Why me Ma'am?" The black-haired boy asked looking into her eyes for the first time. 

"You're doing good." Jamie answered nodding. 

"Thanks, ma'am." He replied he answered looking at the mud on his gloves. "And- I'm desperately sorry about-" 

"All good mate." Jamie cut him off. 

"I just had a bad day." Miles added and his voice was clouded by sadness. Not the kind of sadness when a kid didn't get the lollies. It held more tragedy and you don't spot in someone's voice if you haven't grieved a sort of it before yourself. 

"We all have those." Jamie answered smiling. "No bad blood mate, but if I ever catch you again--" 

"You won't ma'am." Miles cut her off this time and it's the only excuse the gardener would make for a gremlin interrupting her. 

"Good." Jamie, she said to Miles before turning around, her eyes searching for George, who was messing with Mia or Abigail. 

"George, I'll get you some new gloves. Meanwhile, you can dump out the bucket. In the back of the garden is a compost." The gardener didn't comment on his bad behavior, but her voice made clear that it was a demand as well as a punishment. 

"Yes, ma'am." He answered obsequiously. 

The gardener walked into the greenhouse looking inside the drawers for another set of gloves as she heard footsteps behind her. 

"Dani?" Jamie asked with a raised eyebrow. 

Blonde curls were falling around the teacher's face and her eyes were big and blue. She looked adorable, but her movements were delicate. 

"Is there any chance you have a band-aid lying around somewhere?" Dani asked positioning herself in front of the gardener. 

Jamie looked at her in confusion trying to ignore the fact that the teacher stood once again close enough to her that she could smell America's perfume. 

"Flora cut herself on one of the roses." Dani explained smiling shyly all of a sudden. "She said they were too pretty not to touch them." 

"She's got a point." Jamie answered and nodded. She locked eyes with the blue ones in front of her. 

"I must have a first aid kit-" Jamie started looking around the greenhouse, which wasn't the most organized. "-somewhere." 

Dani giggled that light one, the one that made Jamie's heart beat faster while it lasted. The gardener tried to remember where she had last seen the red squared box, which was a lot harder with Dani around. 

"Are you hiding from the kids?" Dani asked opening one of the drawers looking through it. 

If it wouldn't be Dani, the gardener would stop her immediately, hating the thought of someone messing around with her things. But it was Dani and it seemed so natural to her, that she let her. 

"I'm fetching some new gloves for one of the gremlins." Jamie answered closing one of the drawers. "Not so bad, aren't I?" 

The gardener's body now faced Dani's, who smiled at her as she answered: "Not bad at all." 

It was once again not completely what Dani had said, but rather in what tone she had said it that withhold the statement from sounding casual.

Dani sucked in her own lips as Jamie turned around, looking through more drawers. She cleared her throat swallowing all the words that emerged and being glad as the second drawer withheld the first aid kit. 

"Got it." Jamie said turning around. 

Dani held a pair of gloves inside her hand that Jamie remembered being a little too tight on her fingers. 

"Perfectly." She said smiling and putting the red box on the table counter. 

Jamie stepped closer to the desk, wanting to open the kit as Dani cut of her way in one fast movement positioning herself in front of the table. 

The gardener met her eyes seeing Dani's utterly serious expression, but there was something else as well. A glow, just a tiny bit of a shimmer that she had seen inside her eyes last Friday night before.

She would never forget Dani's glowing eyes as they were surrounded by darkness, her hand holding onto her own. 

Despite having seen it before, it still left the gardener confused and she wanted to smoothly take a step back as she felt Dani's hand on her elbow. Her soft touch lingered as her fingers moved carefully over her lower arm guiding it to the table. 

Dani pressed Jamie's hand on the countertop with her own steadying their position and it only then occurred to her what Dani might have in her mind. 

The gardener's body was already practically pushed into Dani's only centimeters apart from one another. 

"Dani." Jamie said. It didn't sound all too loving trough, instead, it was rough and harsh like a warning sign.

It was one surely. There was so little space left between them and it would take Jamie more power than she had inside of her to not cover her lips with her own. 

Still, something turned in that moment. The shade of blue of Dani's eyes changed. They grew darker while light emerged and Jamie had no idea how that was possible, but it made her feel all sort of things. 

Dani perfectly understanding the warning sign grabbed Jamie's other hand guiding it to the table behind her. Her movement was slow and seemed controlled, although Jamie could feel the American's yearning in each cell. 

"Dani" Jamie said again and her voice was nothing more than a whisper now. It didn't seem warning anymore either, instead, it was desperate. 

Jamie could feel the blonde's breath on her lips. It was a sensation of its own that the gardener felt like it would take her years to recover from. She once again didn't know how she got so caught up in Danielle Clayton, but she didn't want to think about it either. She didn't want to think about it. She wanted to feel her. 

The gardener looked into her eyes just to catch her gazing at her lips. There was no measurement for how much she wanted Danielle at that moment. All though there were many times, she would have just enjoyed to lean over and kiss her. Nothing got close to that moment. 

Her eyes carried grey sprinkles and Jamie wanted to drown in them, but she also felt Dani's breath quickening and felt her heart vibrating just across from hers, so she leaned into it. 

She felt Dani's grip around her hands tighten and it hurt the way she pressed into her hands, but it also felt so damn good. Because it meant that she felt her and she didn't want to spend any more time not tasting her. 

Her lower lip brushed hers. 

"Ms. Clayton." The voice of a girl asked sounding incredibly close. 

Jamie just heard Dani breathe in heavily and turned away from the teacher in the term of a second. Her hands gripped the hem of the desk across from the one she nearly kissed Dani on holding on to it for dear life. 

She breathed into the air. 

"Yes, Flora?" Dani asked with a weirdly pitched voice. "You alright, my love?" 

Jamie heard the click of the first aid kit opening and the shuffling sound of moving the stuff inside around. 

"Did you find a bandaid for me, Ms. Clayton?" Flora's sweet voice asked. 

"Yes, my love. Come here." Dani responded. 

Jamie's head didn't feel like it proceeded anything anymore, but the drowning feeling of regret hit her. 

If one of the gremlins would tell anyone that the new American teacher with her alternative way of teaching also goes around kissing the lady gardener it could cost Dani her job. How could she let it get this far, Jamie wondered. 

Jamie cleared her throat before turning around and grabbing the gloves. 

"I'll bring those to George." Jamie said standing next to Dani. 

"Yeah, do that." Dani whispered watching her walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think :)  
> I don't wanna spoiler, but the end is actually not as dramatic as it seems hehe...  
> I will update each 2 to 3 days from now on! :)


	6. I wanna know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry for the late update, had a bit of writer's block :( This chapter was also supposed to be longer than it turned out, so I might add some later, although I think it has just the right amount of tension...ENJOY!

The day had been the warmest Danielle Clayton had experienced since her stay in London. While the sun still hung high, flickering through the window glass of the teacher's room a breeze pushed past the wooden frames, responsible for maintaining fresh air. 

"Dani, you're listening to me?" The American heard the voice of Rebecca Jessel, who sat on the chair right next to her, ask. 

"Yeah." The teacher answered nodding. 

The truth was that she didn't. Instead, the look on Jamie's face as she leaned into kissing her kept replaying inside her mind and she could not for the life of her think of anything else. Danielle marveled at how she would be able to make it past another lesson with the gardener inside her head. It felt ridiculous to her. She felt like a schoolgirl with a silly crush. 

Repeatedly she reminded herself that it was valid after all. She never got to experience this before: actual excitement and nervousness about the person one likes. It was so foreign and unfamiliar to her, that it almost made the teacher sad. She was allowed to enjoy it, every tiny bit of it. If her head wanted to replay Jamie on repeat then she let it. She had been fighting for too long, got too tired to fight a battle that wasn't worth battling for.

"Are you alright?" Rebecca Jessel asked as she noticed Dani's hands shaking.

They had been vibrating ever since Jamie's lips had brushed hers.

"Yeah, my body starts to shake when my blood sugar level is too high and I did put too much sugar inside the coffee." Dani replied looking into the brown eyes of the woman next. 

She bought the lie seemingly not caring about it too much. It would take Dani a lot more sweetness than the one, which fit into her mug, to make her shake.

"Well, as I was saying." Rebecca continued excitedly. "We'll have a little celebration on Saturday and I'd wanted to ask if you'd like to join. It would be such a pleasure to be having you."

"We?" Dani questioned and it became obvious that she hadn't been listening for much longer or not at all.

"Peter and I." Rebecca answered taking a sip from the cup of tea in front of her. 

It's been six months around here, but Dani still hadn't caught onto the habit of the whole tea ritual around here. Rather said it overwhelmed her.

"Danielle, you must." A man's voice mumbled. 

Speaking of the devil, Dani thought, Peter took the set across from her a typical mischievous smirk on his lips. She hadn't made up her mind about Peter Quint yet, it seemed like either people loved or hated him and she felt neither of those emotions towards the man. 

"Do I?" Dani asked raising one of her eyebrows at him. 

His hair was carefully gelled and combed to the back. The American couldn't remember a time it didn't sit perfectly. He wore a shirt and blazer, always coming across a bit overdressed for a teacher of this school, Dani thought.

The American glared at him and she could tell that he was what people called handsome, but she didn't feel it. It didn't make sense to her why one would want to be touched by Peter Quint's big and rough hands. Never would she trade it for the delicateness of a woman, although she had not many interactions she could refer to. 

"Please tell us you'll come. It would be such a pleasure." Rebecca said reaching out for Dani's hand. 

The teacher looked at her surprised. Normally a gesture like this would have made her nervous and quickened her heartbeat. Woman had that effect on her. Today it didn't. 

"You can bring someone if you'd like to." Peter explained. The words had to sink in before Danielle could understand them. she still having trouble making his accent out from time to time. 

"Yeah, I'll be there." Dani said looking off into the distance, wondering what a celebration by Peter Quint and Rebecca Jessel would look like. "What's the occasion?" 

She imagined countless men in suits with the jerk attitude that Peter carried around and kind people falling into the traps that those men would set for them. 

"It's just for fun really, innit?" Rebecca asked gazing at Peter, who ignored her. He didn't even try to hide his rude gesture.

Danielle didn't understand the reasons Rebecca put up with Pete. She was intelligent, bright even, beautiful with her heart at the right place. 

"Gotta enjoy our youth why it last, don't we Danielle?" Peter said with this look inside his eyes. 

A look he mostly wore on the few occasions where Dani and Peter we're alone, like random encounters on the floor between passing rooms or in breaks on the schoolyard,  
but sometimes he wore it even with Rebecca around, which disgusted her deeply. 

He moreover had the habit of calling her Danielle, like Eddie used to.

"It will be so much fun, I can feel it. There will be Peter's friends and some of my college friends and their friends and... " Rebecca went on. 

She had the kindest pair of brown eyes and talked with contagious excitement.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

"I might be having a Deja vû." Jamie's voice ringed at the sight of Danielle Clayton standing inside the door frame of the greenhouse. 

Her eyebrows were lifted and her lips carried a smile she tried to hide by looking at the potted plant in front of her, digging her delicate fingers inside the mud. Dani wondered if she did it on purpose, making Dani's mind wander into a land of inappropriate images. 

"Look," Dani said holding tightly onto the cups of coffee inside her hand. "I will not pretend that I even have the slightest clue what I'm doing here two times in a day, again."

She knew how desperate it seemed, but only as she put it into words a slight sense of embarrassment crept up on the teacher. 

"So could we please jump the awkwardness of me showing up here again?" Dani asked walking further into the by now well-known room. 

She watched Jamie and questioned when the time will come that she gets tired of her features. Each time she tried to soak her outlines in to memorize them into detail later, but as soon as Dani spotted her in person again she realized that her remembering didn't even get close to the beauty that stood in front of her.

Dani watched the gardener smirk into the flower pot and the American wished she wouldn't. She wanted to see this bright smile, her white teeth biting down on her delightful lips. 

"Can we just do that?" Dani asked putting the cup on the desk, which Jamie stood across from. The same spot where Dani had yearned for the gardener's lips just a couple of hours ago. 

"How has your day been?" Jamie asked casually looking up at her. 

Thank God, she just let it drop, Dani thought to herself. They were back to normal. 

But was there even a normal? The American was happy to not linger on Dani's desperation to be around her, but just talking about her day withheld their almost kiss. Gosh, Dani thought, what was she doing here? Could she make it anymore obvious that she wanted Jamie? Did she find it annoying by now? 

Danielle knew she liked her so she acted on it, but it hadn't and isn't the smoothest game she could think of. She always had to make the first move, although Jamie could probably guess by now that the teacher was totally clueless on how all of this was supposed to work out. 

The gardener looked up at her raising an eyebrow and Dani remembered that she had asked her a question. 

"It's been good." Dani nodded as Jamie took off her gloves. "The children loved being here. You can't imagine how many wanted to know when we will visit again or if you might come to school."

They actually had. At the end of the lesson, she wondered who was more obsessed with the gardener, herself, or the students. 

"You left quite the impression." Dani added taking a sip of the brew, which left her lips slightly burned.

"On you or the gremlins?" Jamie teased reaching out for the coffee. 

"Don't you know the answer?" Dani asked hopefully and giving her a chance to open up a conversation about earlier. 

Jamie just nodded gracefully. 

"What did you tell them then?" She asked wasting the chance. 

Dani asked herself if it had been a good idea to come here again. Was it too much, had she been too much? Insecurity sneaked up on her and she disliked the bitter taste of it. 

"I told them that I wouldn't know. I told them that I would have to talk to you about it first." Dani explained.  
"Can I bring them again? Do you want me to bring them again?" 

Jamie exhaled avoiding Dani's eyes. She stumbled backward putting her cup on the table behind her and slipping onto the countertop in one swift move. 

"I dunno Poppins." The gardener said looking up again with her green eyes growing soft as she watched Dani making her way around the table. "I freaked out when that little girl walked in here. They can't see us like that. If one of them would go around telling that the American with her alternative way of teaching also kisses the lady gardener..."

Dani leaned against the table gripping its hem, just like earlier, peeking at Jamie who shifted around sitting on top of the desk.

"I mean it could cost you everything, Poppins." Jamie explained. "I can't let that happen--I wouldn't want to let that happen." 

Her eyes laid on Dani biting down on her lip softly and leading the brew to her mouth once again. 

"They won't see us like that again." Dani answered. 

She had thought about it and recognized its danger. It was absolutely irresponsible and not her finest move as a teacher and she will never let that happen again. If the children are here she will keep it professional and stay away from Jamie, as hard as it may be. 

Jamie looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Okay then." She said coldly spreading her legs. 

It only then occurred to Dani that her way of putting it hadn't been distinct enough.

"No I mean-" Dani said quickly skipping some syllables, "No-," her voice a lot calmer now, "I didn't mean it like that." 

The American bit her lip at the sight of Jamie growing all soft again. Apparently, the gardener disliked the idea of not getting to kiss her again. 

"I mean...I can keep my feelings in check with them around." Dani stated watching Jamie grip the hem of the table leaning forward. 

It felt heavier to breathe for Dani once again. Jamie's body was always hidden behind jumpers and overalls, but by now Dani could make out her petiteness underneath.

"Surely didn't seem like it." Jamie said gazing at her. 

"Fine, I will keep them in check from now on." Dani corrected herself eyes wide, trying not to check out Jamie again. 

"...with them around?" Jamie added innocently locking eyes. 

Dani nodded with tingling lips. Seemingly Dani hasn't been the only one that yearned for more.

"Let me think about it, okay?" Jamie answered. 

It took Dani a second to process that it was the answer to the original question of bringing the children again or not. Her head grew more useless with each second and her heartbeat had started to drive her mad. 

"You did enjoy it though, right?" Dani asked stepping carefully forward under the eyes of Jamie. 

"Which part?" Jamie asked. 

Her voice barely shaking, but it did, Dani had heard it as one of her knees brushed Dani's hips. 

"The children of course." Dani answered taking a sip from the coffee cup Jamie had held inside her hand only a second ago. 

She was completely aware of the unnecessary action, having her own, but she could feel how it tensed Jamie and she did enjoy that after all. If she couldn't taste her lips at least she could lock lips with something that had touched hers before. 

"I thought you weren't good with children." Danielle added as Jamie didn't answer. 

"I never said that." She said leaning back smoothing out her flannel. 

"You aren't fond of them then." 

"I didn't say that either." Jamie answered. 

"So you enjoyed having them around?" Danielle teased handing her the cup again making sure their fingers brushed. "You did, admit it." 

Jamie just smirked locking and unlocking with Dani's eyes again and again. 

"How about the rest?" Dani asked carefully. It wasn't much more than a whisper. "Did you enjoy it?" 

Jamie stared into her eyes long before answering: "I dunno what you're talking about, Poppins."

The color of her cheeks said something different after all, which is why Dani decided to take it a step further. 

"There's this-" She paused, rethinking, but she already started now, so might as well finish it. "There's this party thing on Saturday, which some of my colleagues invited me to."

The American gazed at Jamie, who decided to lean forward once again, leaving little to no space between them. 

"They said I could bring someone." Dani continued. 

Jamie smirked her typical Jamie smirk with raised eyebrows seemingly pleased with herself that Dani asked her out. 

"Do you think Owen would be pumped about it?" Dani questioned with seriousness, getting a laugh out of Jamie. 

A real one, where all coolness and badassery fell from her. She still looked rough and incredibly attractive, but her act of teasing Dani into insanity stopped for a moment. 

"I think he would love that to be honest." Jamie answered nodding. 

"And what do you think about it?" 

"I think you should go for it. Just ask him, but beware of Hannah thou, you wouldn't guess it, but she's quite of the jealous sort." Jamie answered nodding and Dani rolled her eyes tumbling back a step, wanting to move away from the gardener as a hand grabbed her lower arm. 

It moved down slowly and both of them watched as Jamie held Dani's hand pulling her closer again. As the American looked up the gardener cleared her throat letting go of her hand. 

"I-" Jamie smiled to herself "-uh- I hoped-uh-we might could do something alone sometime." 

"Well, we could also do that." Dani answered instantly getting lost in the sight of her lips. 

"Yeah?" Jamie asked reassuring. 

"Yeah." Dani nodded her face all soft and sunshine. 

"How-uh-about Friday?" Jamie asked moving a hand through her wild curls. 

She hadn't seen that gesture on the gardener, but it seemed like quite a nervous one. 

"Sounds good to me." Dani answered. 

It only hit her now that Jamie had asked her out. An actual date with Jamie, a woman, a woman she liked a whole lot. 

"I'll pick you up at 6 than." Jamie said with her confident self once again. 

"What are we gonna do?" Dani asked startled. 

"I'll take you out. You won't get to know much more." Jamie said. 

Dani smiled at her feeling Jamie's breath on her cheek. 

"But tell me." Jamie asked in all seriousness. "Should I ask Owen or is my company enough for you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! Would make me really happy :) Are you ready for their first date?
> 
> I've been planning out the next chapters and I'll promise you, you won't be able to handle chapter 9, can't say too much, but tension overdose


	7. Invisible String

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took by far the longest to write and also is the longest, but I really wanted to get it right :)  
> Jamie's pov is also always a bit trickier for me. Hope you enjoy every bit of it and have a wonderful day :)))

White clouds covered the blue heavens above. A soft breeze moved through the streets passing the gardener, who leaned against her van with her short black dress wrapped tightly around her figure and a deep lilac leather jacket sitting high above her hips. 

Jamie Taylor knew she looked decent, although they weren't the clothes she would normally go for. Furthermore, she couldn't remember the last time an occasion had gotten her inside a dress, but something about the idea had tickled her. The image of two women kissing, while looking feminine and screwing the social norms had thrilled the gardener.

The church nearby ringed its bells signaling that it had become 6 pm. Jamie was punctual for once and it startled her that Owen had to make a new addition to his saying because now two things made her be on time: food and Dani.

Jamie watched the sun sit high above her, not having the skyline change into all the pretty colors just yet. She leads the cigarette between her fingers to her mouth once again. 

As the familiar sound of a door clicking in its lock appears, her eyes drift to the front of the hostel. 

Her back stiffens at the sight of Danielle Clayton making her way towards her car. The American's curves were coated by a brown dress, it's length surely not tolerated by the dress code of any school. Above her shoulders hung her typical denim jacket, which was a clothing choice that would get some eyebrows raised in the streets of London, but applause on the carpet of a Runway Show.

Jamie inhaled letting the smoke into her lungs. She normally didn't enjoy the feeling of it, but the distraction came in handy at this very moment. 

Dani stepped towards her delicately with a smile on her lips, that made it clear to Jamie that Dani knew by now how it looked like when her gaze undressed her.

"You look-" 

"I can scrub up if I need to." Jamie cut her off, not wanting to hear any compliments from the blonde, who stood nervously in front of her. 

She was so beautiful, even more so tonight, no matter how impossible that had seemed and the gardener already felt the urge to ask Dani to show her the room inside, while absolutely not giving a damn about it, but it meant they were alone and how much she lusted to taste all that is Danielle Clayton. 

Instead, she raised her chin up high, eyes alert, and imagined a blue liquid move through her body, cooling down its temperature.

"You ready then, Poppins?" Jamie asked. 

"I think so." Dani answered nodding her perfectly blonde curls falling into her face. 

She shuffled around nervously, while her body tensed and Jamie wished she could make the seemingly unpleasant feelings go away. The gardener didn't want to be the reason her nerves were recked, because there was no reason for them to be.

Jamie was mad for Dani, while at the same time she would absolutely never rush her with anything. There was nothing to fear. 

The gardener glanced at the avenues surrounding them. As the air seemed clear she pushed herself off the van, eyes looked with the blue ones in front of her. Her fingers found their way to the side of her face, brushing a blonde curl behind her ear. 

"It's all good." She whispered softly in hope of comforting her, but in the corner of her eyes, she could spot Dani's chest moving up and down fastly.

It was silly to think that being this close to Dani would calm her. Jamie took a step back holding out her cigarette for her instead. 

She took it gladly. 

"Thank you." Dani mumbled taking a drag. Jamie almost felt bad about being such a bad influence, but it also made Dani look even more attractive than she already was. 

"I've got something for ya." Jamie said softly. She knew it wasn't the time to tease her yet. 

Her hand grabbed a flower, which hadn't bloomed yet, from inside the car. It was small and delicate and special to the gardener.

"It's a moonflower and it reminded me of you." Jamie explained. 

Normally such a soft gesture would be something that wrecked her own nerves, but the way Dani's face lit up stopped the adrenaline from rushing through her blood vessels.

"I don't think I have ever seen one before." Dani answered looking curiously at the petite flower. 

"They're quite special and bloom only at night, each bud only once." Jamie explained putting the flower into the pocket of her denim jacket. "There you go." 

"Thank you." Dani smiled gladly. 

"You're welcome." Jamie answered smiling back. "We really gotta get going now, Poppins." 

The gardener held onto the door of the passenger seat. 

"I mean since we've got to get Owen." Jamie smirked and received a small laugh from Danis.

"Oh yes, how could I forget?"

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
"We're gonna have dinner in a flamboyant restaurant?" Dani teased as they stood outside of the establishment. "A bit cliché, don't you think?" 

Somewhere between bright laughter coming from Dani, when Jamie swore at other drivers, who were according to her 'wankers' and the American making the gardener aware of her own mistakes the tension flew outside the half-opened window. 

"It's the only completely vegetarian restaurant I could find in the course of 4 fucking days." Jamie clarified putting her hands around the hem of her leather jacket. "You would think London would be a bit more modern by now." 

Dani's smirk faded and traded for a big smile, all sunshine, and rainbows. 

"And anyway the clichéless date ideas were about to follow, but I thought since I basically know nothing about you... Might as well get to know one another above a dish of vegetables."

Jamie watched the American chuckle, before biting down on her lower lip. Her eyes looked bluer tonight and Jamie was happy about it, getting something else to stare at instead of just the perfect shape of her body. Damn it. 

"After you, Poppins." Jamie said gesturing towards the door and letting her eyes wander over the beautiful blonde she had the blessing of taking out. 

They made their way inside of the eatery with stolen glances at one another.

"Good evening sir, I'm Jamie Taylor and I reserved a table for two earlier this week." The gardener said to the waiter in the front.

She deeply disliked the sound of her voice when she spoke formally. It sounded unnatural and felt bizarre.

The waiter's brownish-black hair fell into his forehead as his eyes roamed over the list in front of him.

"Excuse me, what was your name again?" The man asked, an apologetic smile on his lip. 

Normally the gardener would be at least a little aggravated by that, but the feeling of Dani's body pressing into her side and her hot breath tickling the back of her ear clouded her head.

"Taylor, Jamie Taylor." Jamie answered clearing her throat. 

His fingernail moved over the book again until he stopped and said: "There you are."

He looked up smiling at them, his eyes coming to hold on Dani. 

"Welcome to Mildreds Garden. I'll be your waiter for tonight. You can call me Steve." The man explained overly excited. "It is such a pleasure to be having you in our divine restaurant. Your wish will be my command and I will guarantee you to do my absolute best to make tonight an unforgettable experience."

His saying seemed committed to memory, but Jamie indeed hoped to experience a few unforgettable things with the woman next to her.

"What is your preferred choice of sitting?" Steve asked rubbing his hands together.

"You see, we got a table at the window with a good look on the river," He clarified pointing behind him. "-the middle space, which is typically the most crowded or a table in the back for a bit more privacy." 

There was a tone inside his voice that turned something inside Jamie's stomach bitter, although it might be connected to the way he looked at her date. 

"The table in the back sounds kinda nice." Dani answered before Jamie could even think about it.

She looked over her shoulder to find the blonde biting down on her lip cheekily. This woman will be the fuckin' death of me, Jamie thought to herself.

"What happened to earliers restraint, Poppins?" Jamie teased stealing a glance at her lips.

"Thought you preferred me bold and- Dani answered with raised eyebrows and a chin held up high. "-loud."

Jamie swallowed hardly desiring some time of boldness and loud noises with her closed off from the rest of the world.

"If you would please follow me then." Steve said to the pair and the tension started to melt into the surroundings of them.

"You're American, aren't ya?" Steve asked Dani, who started to follow up his pace. 

"Yeah, I am." Dani nodded kindly. She smiled at him the way she did at the kids or the first time she met Hannah and Owen. Not at all the way she grinned at Jamie and it still made her at least a bit jealous.

"I can spot one from miles away." Steve answered. "Got a good feeling for people. I'm a writer, you know?"

Jamie felt her heels dig into the bottom of her feet, but it made her walk more swiftly and she was aware of that. Each step seemed naturally calculated and her hips swang alluringly, she made sure of it each time Danielle turned around to look at her.

"That's nice." Dani answered.

"There you go." Steve said gesturing to a small table for two. "Can I get you something to drink already?" 

"You up for some red wine, Poppins?" Jamie asked softly as they sat down. 

"Very much so." Dani answered and Jamie looked at him. 

"Got it." Steve answered. "I'll be back in a minute with 2 glasses of our very best red wine." 

"Can he get any further up our ass?" Jamie whispered as he had left, opening up the menu. 

The gardener let her eyes wander over the interior remembering the reasons she had chosen this place. First of all, because it was vegetarian of course, but secondly, the internal lining was mostly dark wooden, which was rare for establishments around here. The wallpaper consisted of squiggled flowers and it smelled like fresh greenery mixed in with expensive perfumes. 

"You're being a meanie." Dani said. 

"Am I?" Jamie asked, her eyes opened wide.

"You know I worked as a waitress in a diner while studying." Dani explained flipping through her own menu in front of her. "And being too kind is still nothing negative."

She sounded like a teacher, Jamie thought, which was still kinda hot.

"Where did you study?" Jamie asked curiously. 

She wanted to know everything about the American, which was a completely new feeling to her. The gardener normally never bothered with people for long.

"Just a college nearby, really, nothing special." Dani answered underlying the saying with a wave of her hand.

"Didn't want to be far from home?" Jamie asked and already knew that it wouldn't be the answer, considering she came all the way from the United States to London.

"Not that I didn't want to, rather said the money was short and family kinda depended on me." 

"In what way?" Jamie asked eyes on the menu and trying to make out all the odd meals she had never heard of before.

"My dad died when I was pretty young, so-uh it's always been just my mom and me and I didn't want her to be lonely without me, I guess." Dani explained. "And..."

Jamie just raised an eyebrow, not wanting to put any kind of verbal pressure on her. 

"-and there was my boyfriend." Dani said avoiding Jamie's eyes. 

She would lie if she would say that it never occurred to her that there might have been. The gardener could picture Danielle Clayton in her suburban house with her Wallstreet husband, unfulfilled, and lonesome, quite well.

"He didn't want me far away. It does sound really stupid to me now, but back then those were good reasons to stay close to my hometown, I guess."

God, was she glad to have Dani sitting in front of her just now. 

"What made you leave it all behind then?" Jamie simply asked. 

"I need wine before telling you about that part." Dani smiled with wide eyes, but Jamie picked up on the desperation behind it. 

Something haunted her. It reminded her of the time she had found her sitting underneath the cherry tree. How hopeless she had sounded telling her she wanted to be here. Jamie wondered if she was now. 

"Okay then." Jamie said simply, seeing Steve emerge towards them in the corner of her eyes. 

She won't pressure Dani into laying the story of her life across from her. Did I thrill her to know? Yes.  
Would she ever force Dani into something she wasn't ready for?  
Most definitely not.

"Like a lot of wine." Dani added. "More than I would like to drink today." 

What a subtle way of putting it, the gardener thought. Jamie nodded at her smirking. 

"Fine by me, Poppins." She answered and she felt the softness within her that Danielle Clayton had brought to the surface.

"Your wine, ma ladies." Steve said holding two glasses inside his one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

Their eyes remained locked as he put the glasses in front of them on the table, filling them up gracefully. 

"Can I get you anything already?" Steve asked, but their attention remained on each other. 

"Not yet." Jamie said taking one last glance at Dani before turning to him.

He nodded simply and made his way back. 

"What about you?" Dani asked. 

"What about me?" Jamie asked. 

"Did you grow up in London?" 

Jamie eyed how Dani's blonde curls framed her face perfectly before she answered.

"I didn't actually. I came to London when I was barely old enough to stand on my own two feet and have remained here ever since, but before that-" Jamie looked up at Dani and she looked like her future, so she decided to tell her about the unpleasant past. "Before that, it was a dozen shitty villages trading around the local trash."

She saw the puzzled look on Dani's face.

"I was in the foster care system. My mother ran away and my father worked in a coal mine. Barely got to see him and he didn't know what to do with a gremlin, three to be exact."

Jamie catched Dani look at her she imagined people would when they heard her story. Not that she would ever have told someone outside from Owen and her shrink.

"Uh-uh Poppins, don't look at me like that." Jamie said rather rough shaking her head. 

"I'm sorry." Dani said eyes all soft. 

"Can't believe we're putting out or childhood traumas even before supper." Jamie said coldly and Dani chuckled. 

"Yeah." Dani nodded. 

Jamie reached out for her glass having Dani following her movement. 

"To putting those topics aside for harder liquors." Jamie said holding up her glass. 

"To you in that dress." Dani teased cheekily and the gardener felt her cheeks blush, but she was glad that the American had picked up on her own subtleness. 

Their glasses chinked and the liquid ran down their throats staining their lips. 

"You made up your mind about what you'll order?" Jamie asked. 

"I think I'll take the 5th fixed menu, actually." Dani answered her eyes wandering over the menu again. 

"I also considered that, but I gotta say the mention of artichokes scared me at least a bit." 

"Come on be brave." Dani smiled. 

Jamie didn't seem convinced and it surprised her once again how much she went out of her way for the pretty blonde in front of her.

"For me?" Dani smiled even brighter.

"Okay then, Poppins." Jamie said not believing herself. "Look what you're making me do. I'm going all soft and vegetarian." Jamie said shaking her head in disbelief having Dani laugh. 

"Do you always do that?" Dani asked.

It took Jamie by surprise and her forehead started to wrinkle. She had no idea what the American was referring to. 

"Take out a woman?" Dani asked more specifically this time. 

It seemed like a strange question to ask, especially at this time. Jamie thought of a way to answer it the most delicate way. 

"I guess it would be the sensible thing to do, but a matter of factly I do not." Jamie responded. 

Did their encounters start in a place that could be considered a spot for a date: most definitely. Did they meet again after their first interaction had passed in such space: definitely not. 

"What do you do then?" Dani asks innocently. 

The gardener licks her lip before pressing them together, eyes wide. 

"Well." 

"Oh."

"Poppins," Jamie said instinctively reaching out for her hand above the table put not getting to hold it before her common sense kicked in. "Why do you wanna know?" Jamie asked, but it still didn't feel good enough. 

"I'm here with you now, aren't I?" 

"What's different about me?"

How should she explain to Dani, that she's never come across someone, who is sunshine trapped inside a human body only escaping through her eyes? That no one's smile lights up the room like hers and seeing her tears run down her cheek still is like watching the fucking sunset? How do you tell a person they're magic? 

Everything." Jamie answered. 

Jamie didn't know how to tell her: that the second Dani had stepped into the garden, she brought a light with her that the gardener never had seen before, never felt before. It threatens her. It had on the first day and it still does. Because now she would give up peace and boredom for the American in front of her and she didn't even know half of Danielle Clayton. But she didn't care. And it didn't matter. 

"You haven't even tried to kiss me." Dani said looking at her folded hands on the table. 

Jamie closed her eyes. There were so many lips she didn't want to kiss even a quarter as much as Dani's. Some mouths tasted like smoke and some felt like drinking poison, but to kiss someone was always easy.

"Take that as a good thing." Jamie said softly. 

Kissing someone didn't involve feelings other than attraction and she felt many other emotions for Danielle Clayton aside from attraction.

"How should I take that as a good thing?" Dani asked desperately. 

"Because I wanted to take it slow."

And she did. Dani was as pure as daylight and she didn't want to stain her with the afterglow of rushing a good thing. 

"But why?" 

"Because you might be worth the effort."

That was the closest thing to an explanation she could give her. It was the only sentence that carried her feelings at least in the slightest sense. But she practically had to spit them out, making them even more confusing. 

"People are complex and fucking complicated. You see with plants...You pour love and your effort and your nourishment and you see where it goes, but with people, it's just all dirt and ashes. Unlimited effort and very little to show for it."

"Everyone?" Dani asked eyebrows raised. 

"Well, that's the point." Jamie said avoiding her eyes. "See, I'm not so sure anymore." 

She looked up and there it was. Ocean waves crashing down in her eyes finding their rhythm alongside the beach.

She understood at least a bit what she meant to the gardener. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes were gleaming. 

"May I take your order now my ladies?" Steve asked over ambitiously. 

It took Dani a moment to break apart of their stare.

"Yeah, actually could we get the fixed menu right here-" Dani said pointing to her menu. Steve leaned slightly over her and Jamie thought his head looked like from a creature in Alice in Wonderland. 

"Good choice, it's the chef's favorite." Steve nodded and Dani smiled at him kindly. 

"Two times then?" He asked Jamie. 

"Yeah, that would be great. Thank you so much." Dani answered. 

"What a twat. He's been checking you out for the fuckin billions time tonight." Jamie said as she took a sip of the wine. 

For one because it was the truth, secondly because she didn't want to go back to the topic before. 

"Haven't you either?" Dani teased.

The gardener was glad she followed along and didn't persist in talking further about her feelings for Dani. 

"That's something different though." She teased back. 

"Is it?" Dani asked her lips just about to curl into a smile. 

"Isn't it?" Jamie asked. Her voice soft like honey as her heel hooks underneath Dani's feet pushing it upwards until she can trace her fingers delicately over the skin on her leg. 

"Jamie," Dani says and it's not even a warning. She's begging. 

Good go know that it takes her this less, Jamie thought.

"Isn't it?" Jamie repeats. 

The American doesn't answer and Jamie decides to have mercy on her and lets go of her leg watching her breathe out heavily. Images of legs intertwined and tangled into virgin white sheets cross her mind. How their pale skin presses together and honey drips between Dani's legs while they pass whispered lullabies in the shape of moans.

It heats up her body to the maximum and she's in desperate need of some distraction.

"You've got any siblings?" Jamie asked out of the blue because she needs something that stops her from taking Dani's hand and leading her inside the restroom and pressing her body against the wall with her own.

"Wha-" Dani asked, clearly confused.

"I want to get to know you, so I thought that would be a good start." 

Absolute lie.

"I mean you probably ask that your kids, if you want to get to know them. Don't you Ms. Clayton?"

She had no idea what she was talking about. Her focus lied on the threatening tension between her legs.

"I'm an only child." Dani answered fighting with the redness of her own cheeks. "But I practically did grow up with the boy, who later became my boyfriend."

"That dude again." Jamie nodded taking a gulp of the wine and feeling herself calm down.

"You said earlier you had siblings..."

Jamie was very aware of how swiftly she changed the topic from that mate once again.

"Yeah, I do. Two brothers, one slightly older, the other one slightly younger." 

Denny and Mikey.

"So you're the middle child then." Dani stated knowingly.

"In all glory." Jamie replied raising her hands into the air.

"Explains some things." Dani said looking over the rim of the wine glass.

"Does it?" Jamie questioned doubtfully.

"Yeah. I'm a teacher, as you said." Dani teased. "You embody certain characteristics if you are one. For example, they're peacemakers and great mediators and-" 

"Oii-Ms Clayton, spare me your lecture-" 

Just as Jamie put on a pleasing smile Dani answered: "Yeah, fuck you calling me Ms. Clayton like it doesn't turn you on just to say it." 

Her eyebrows raised into her hairline and she wore a seductive smirk on her lips. She was right, after all, it did turn her on, and having her swear did even more.

"Touché Poppins." Jamie said simply raising her glass before bringing it to her lips.

She was absolutely mad for this woman.

"Is there something else you wanna know, Poppins?" Jamie asked a smile she couldn't bit away on her lips. "So you can collect further psychological information about me, I mean."

"There are a lot of things I want to know." Dani said licking her lips and leaning forward. It drove Jamie insane and the blonde was completely aware of that.

"Things appropriate for a restaurant please." Jamie reminded her with a faked annoyance.

"Okay then." Dani answered looking down sadly, taking another sip.

"When did you become a gardener?" She asked for more seriously this time.

"Oii-" 

"Maybe not the most amazing thing to unravel on one's first date." Jamie answered.

She normally wasn't insecure about any part of her past, but she normally didn't care as much about the person sitting in front of her either.

"What? That bad?" Dani asked sounding unsure.

"Might doesn't fit into Ms. Poppins perfect picture life." Jamie joked as a way of self-defense.

"Good, because I give a shit about perfect." 

There it was again: the swearing and the boldness.

"Told you I came to London," Jamie nodded looking into her deep blue eyes before her eyes wandered off into the distance. "Got me in some trouble around here and ended up serving a couple of years." 

She said it. No going back. It was out into the world and now Dani knew. Jamie looked at her just to notice that the blueness in her eyes remained unchanged.

"It's there that I started gardening. Busy work for idle hands, but I fuckin love it." She explained.

"I don't care about you're past." Dani answered shaking her head and a breath Jamie didn't know she held released itself.

"Okay then." Jamie answered with a faked anger and Dani rolled her eyes.

"You know how I meant that." Dani said reaching out for the gardener's hand.

The American held onto it briefly, not more than a second or two, but it lingered for the rest of the night.

"My turn." Jamie said switching the topic feeling at ease. "Why did you become a teacher? I know you love it. I can see it, but why?" 

The gardener had wondered many times before how she realized that it was her calling and what was her prove that it is.

"It makes me feel like I'm making a difference," Dani explained thoughtfully. "-like I'm helping people and doing something good around here." 

She knew that the teacher didn't refer to London, but furthermore to the word.

"Does that make sense?" Dani asked serious and hopeful.

"Yep." Jamie nodded leaning back and wondering if all the time in the world would be enough with the woman in front of her.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

"What am I about to eat?" Jamie asked frightened, looking at the main course on the table.

The starter, which consisted of a sweet potato lentil soup had surprised her positively, but this raised a lot of questions mark inside her head.

Dani chuckled before answering: "I think it's bean curd." 

"You think it's what?" Jamie asked looking completely disgusted, which amused the American deeply.

"Tofu?" Dani questioned optimistic, once again only seconds away from a giggle.

"Never fucking heard of it." 

Jamie's eyes grew wide. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to eat that.

"What's your favorite food?" Dani asked sticking her fork into the broccoli.

Jamie was almost sure that the teacher asked it to distract her from what she was about to eat.

"Sounds corny as hell, but everything that Owen makes." Jamie replied filling a spoon full of the colorful things in front of her. "How about you?" 

"I love American desserts and snacks." Dani admitted eyes glued to the woman in front of her, who was too busy fighting with the meal. "I have to admit I don't yet know what to think about your typical fare." 

Jamie's entire attention was directed at the plate, which made Dani chuckle again.

"How's it going with me changing your mind about Americans by the way?" Dani asked trying to get the gardener's attention back.

"I thought you were doing fine,-" Jamie answered still not looking up.

"Oh yeah?" Dani asked eyebrow raised.

"But then you wanker made me order this." 

Dani had to laugh so hard that some of her food fell right out of her mouth again. 

"I feel you, Poppins." Jamie whispered.

And together they laughed the night away.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

By the time they left the restaurant, the moon hung high above shining its light on the women and their wine-stained lips.

As Jamie mentioned to drive Dani home she frowned and big puppy eyes looked up at her. 

"I said nothing from leaving through." Jamie had added, watching the American expression soften.

They did drive back and the car ride had been filled by a comfortable silence. Dani had watched Jamie's fingers drum to the beat of the song on the steering wheel, while her eyes were glued to the street and her ears listened to Dani mumbling the lyrics of 'Hero' from David Bowie into the night.

"We-could-go inside." Dani said softly as they stood between Jamie's car and the door of the hostel.

The gardener stood close to Dani having her delicate fingers fumble with the sleeve of Jamie's leather jacket, tucking at it slightly.

There was something childish about her gesture. It was innocent, pure, unskilled, and subtle. There was just so much Dani in one simple gesture, Jamie thought.

"No, we can't." The gardener answered her eyes growing wide.

She starred into Dani's big eyes growing aware of all the other beautifully soft features that her face withheld. The bridge of her nose that ended in her adorable pointed nose, her wonderful dimples when she smiled, and her glowing cheekbones.

"Why not?" Dani whispered softly glaring at her lips.

Jamie just looked at her with a warning signal in her gaze and Dani nodded knowingly.

There was no way she could keep her hands to herself if there were alone and she still didn't want to rush her. 

Jamie looked around scanning the surrounding. The streets of London had calmed down and the River Thames was just across from them not even two minutes away. 

"Let's walk a bit, ayy?" Jamie asked leading the way.

"Can I hold your hand?" Dani whispered still holding onto the hem of the leather jacket.

Instead of replying the gardener grabbed Dani's hand intertwining their fingers. It felt odd to her. She had never held hands with anyone before, but still, her thumb naturally rubbed the back of the teacher's hand.

Her skin was soft and she wondered how it felt like when her elegant fingers traced her body. She hoped to find out one day.

As they walked Jamie's eyes wandered over the woman next to her, how she smiled into the night and moved with so much lightness. Still, the thing that catched her eye was the unfolding of a petite flower right over Dani's chest.

She came to a hold.

"The moonflower." Jamie said simply and Dani's eyes too glued to the plant.

Both of them watched the spectacle of her revealing carefully, fearing that, if they look too intensely the flower might come to go a hold.

"You know they are bloody hard to grow here in England, -" Jamie explained catching Dani's sight shortly. "-nearly impossible, and then each bud only blooms once and one barely gets to see it, because it's only in the night." 

They were quite the hidden gem of anyone, who had a slight knowledge of flowers after all.

"In the course of three months the whole plant dies and then one has to plant a whole new flower for the next year." Jamie continued squeezing Dani's hand.

"That's a lot of effort." The American answered without looking up.

"Yeah, but worth it." Jamie stated absentmindedly.

"Like me?" Dani asked gazing into the green eyes in front of her before it dropped to the gardener's lips. "You said it reminded you of me." 

"Like you." Jamie confessed and she meant it.

Dani's breath grew heavy and her eyes carried turbulent waves, while Jamie's grew soft and quiet, like a forest in the night. 

She watched as Dani's head moved closer and felt her lips pressing clumsily against her own.

In an unskillful way, Dani pulled at her leather jacket closing the space between them making Jamie smile into the kiss.

Dani's lips tasted like wine and hope and sunshine. Her body felt warm and electric sending waves of love through her skin and into her heart.

Jamie buries a hand inside the blonde curls at the back of Dani's hand guiding her lips the way she needs to, to deepen the kiss.

There's a small sound escaping Dani's lips as she does and Jamie feels herself become addicted to it.

The gardener wanted to kiss her the whole night, which is the reason she paused wanting to ask for consent.

She needed to know if Dani really wanted this. If she could lick over her lips and bit down on them, grab her by the hip until she couldn't make out a difference between Dani's body and her own.

Jamie leaned back and the sight of Dani was not what she had expected.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"That bad?" Jamie's voice asked, but it was not yet Jamie. Her head hadn't kicked in.

She watched Dani shuffle around, further tears spilling out.

"I need to go." She said already turning around.

"Dani?" Jamie asked wishing her body would go back into a normal state. 

"I'm sorry." 

And there Jamie stood tears forming in her own eyes watching the woman, who lingered on her lips run into the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you guys think!! :)) 
> 
> I literally thought about the ending for so long, because I didn't wanted to have u guys suffer, but I still went with it, because it felt like the right thing to do... 
> 
> It's not useless drama I promise! I just loved the storyline in the show so much that I tried to stay close to the scheme of it :) and it will all make sense in the next chapter, which I'm already writing on :)))


	8. My tears ricochet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might still edit it a bit later, but wanted it finally up. Enjoy :)

Danielle Clayton looked at the blossomed moonflower tucked in the pocket of her denim jacket, which rested on the floor of her hostel room.

After slamming the door shut behind her last night, she had thrown it somewhere to slip out of the tight dress that made her unable to breathe. Tears kept spilling from her ocean eyes making her feel like they would leak. 

She tried to calm herself, which worked only barely as her half-naked self rested against the bedframe. Eventually, she crawled into bed and exhaustion took over her. Sleep came slowly that night, but in the end, she was able to rest in peace for at least a couple of hours, dozing between a state of tired awakeness and slumber. 

Ultimately, the morning sun had crept up on the beautiful teacher, peeking through the shutters above her window frame. 

**************************************************

A breeze of fresh air drifted through the streets of London as Dani set her first step outside the hostel. Her lilac sweater muffled around her upper body keeping her warm and comfortable.

Although getting out of bed and into the shower had felt like a bold act in itself. She couldn't make up the boldness of putting on her denim jacket again. 

Looking inside the mirror had also been an experience. Her makeup stained the skin from her cheeks down to her neck and she hadn't known that the circles underneath her eyes could carry such darkness. 

She eyed the avenues and her gaze landed on the empty parking spot where Jamie's van had stood the night before.

She closed her eyes and trusted her feet to carry her through the streets. 

"Like you." Jamie had mumbled. It rolled off her tongue so swiftly that Dani even questioned if it actually had left her lips.

As she realized it had, there was a burn in her heart she had never felt before. It was so quiet and peaceful, but it spread in its surroundings making her skin vibrate. She had never yearned this much to be close to a person in her whole life.

There was no decision to be made afterward. Her lips automatically pressed onto Jamie's, who even kissed her back. She not only did, but the woman locked her lips with such a gentleness that it brought literal tears to her eyes.

All her life, all the sweet 23 years of existence she never got to taste lips she actually liked the taste off. 

Instead, she had been with Edmund for as long as she could remember. When they were kids, kissing was alright. It was silly and as a kid, you're not bothered much by anything. It's just like any other game.

But then you grow up and your friend tells you about the fireworks she felt when she kissed that quarterback in the locker room, but you never have. And then you wonder, if she's lying or if there's something off about you. But you don't know how to put it into words, because that's how it ought to be, right? A man and a woman, a husband and his wife. The earlier the better. And if you just try hard enough, it will eventually feel right. 

So you pretend until you realize that kissing leads to other things that get harder to pretend at. 

And all of a sudden you are pretending in other matters too and then one day you look at your reflection and you see yourself, but it's not really you anymore. It's a stranger. 

Eventually, you wake up in bed next to your fiance and you go to rehearsal dinners and plan the wedding you only agreed to, because... you can't even remember. 

Dani's life had suffocated her. She had felt like a plant underneath a bell jar.

She couldn't properly love Edmund, but even worse she couldn't properly love the person she had become and that was absolutely dreadful. 

So she ran. 

And stumbled into Jamie. 

Jamie, who tilted her head to the side to kiss her with every ounce of passion and who she could be herself around. 

She felt the sparks and she hadn't had to pretend. And if she did pretend then it was to make it seem like she didn't want to kiss her each time she saw her. 

Jamie, who smiled at her like she was the sun and made her laugh and made her realize what all those love stories were really about. 

But those thoughts didn't dominate her mind at the moment that Jamie leaned back. Instead, there were flashbacks of the engagement celebration and unwanted touches that went further than just locking lips. 

Jamie, who looked at her with so much love inside her eyes, stood right in front of her, she knew it, but it felt like there was an invisible wall between. 

Dani felt her throat tightened and her limbs started to tremble. Her mind was was completely overwhelmed. This had felt so right, but at the same time had proven to her how wrong her past had been, which still haunted her. 

Her head spun and she felt tears spilling. She wanted to be here, but at this moment she wasn't. 

"That bad?" Dani had heard her voice, but it seemed out of reach.

She needed a minute to calm down. To let the panic rise, before inhaling and exhale carefully to make the fear go away. But she didn't have the words to explain to Jamie that. 

"I need to go."

"I'm sorry."

She didn't exactly picture kissing Jamie like this for the first time, but she was eager to make it up to her. 

**************************************************

"I can't believe my eyes, can I?" Owen exclaimed as happily as Dani had remembered him. "The American found her way back to us."

It made even the own corners of her mouth curl upwards, although this had probably been the worst night of her entire stay in London.

"Yeah, I did it," Dani answered stepping closer to the counter Owen stood behind. "But I didn't bring a lot of time with me, I must admit."

"What a shame my dear," Owen said slightly offended. "Where did you leave your sweetheart? What was her name again, that hungry gardener that frowns expect for when you are around?"

Dani had to chuckle as she took a seat on one of the bar stools. It was weird to her, that it was casual for him that she fancied another woman. 

"Jamie?" Oh, how she loved saying her name. 

"Yeah, right, Jamie." He winked. 

"I hoped to find out where she might be from you actually." Owen looked at her surprised while cutting a cake at the table behind the counter.

"Could you maybe give me her address and fix something delicious that says I'm really sorry for how we left off?" Dani asked hearing her own desperation. 

Owen smiled his big and warm smile into the cake, which made Dani wonder if Hannah was around. 

"You came to the right person then, my American fellow." Owen answered. "I'll make sure everything will be 'batter', after a dish made with love." 

He looked up and stood a plate with a piece of cake and a cup of tea in front of Dani. 

"Thank you, Owen." Dani answered. 

His kindness moved her and it was so clear to her why Jamie and Owen were best friends. 

"Chin up American. You'll make it up to her." Owen said with confidence. 

"Will I?" Dani asked hoping he's right.

"You really have no clue, do you?" Owen asked chuckling to himself. 

Dani's eyebrow raised. 

"About what?" She asked as she took the fork. 

"No clue." Owen repeated laughing to himself and making his way into the kitchen. 

**************************************************

A sleep-deprived Jamie swayed the door open aggressively, catching it in its swing and holding onto the wooden door frame. The gardener winced her eyes at the light that came from the hallway.

Her brown curls were messily tangled and framed her sharp face. She wore a flannel, which didn't even go down to her knees and was only closed by one button revealing a decent amount of the woman's cleavage.

Dani wished to curl herself into her. Legs tangled underneath the bed sheet, while their bodies pressed together letting her innocent fingers wander over her skin.

"How-" Jamie started to say as her words got lost in the back of her throat. 

The sleep dropped from her face in the term of a second and Dani wished it wouldn't because the expression that replaced it made her stomach twist. 

"How do you know whe-" 

"Owen told me." Dani answered cutting her off. "I got your breakfast or lunch. However, you'd like to call it."

Jamie nodded knowingly her lips curling into a frown and looking away from Dani and inside the flat where a coffee smell emerged.

"That little shite." Jamie practically spat out facing Dani again. 

"He thought you wouldn't mind me giving you a visit." 

"Well, he was wrong." Jamie stated clearly without remorse. 

Dani knew it wouldn't be a pleasant situation to face Jamie again and that she would be angry. She had every right to be. 

But this in front of her wasn't Jamie.  
It was a brick wall. 

"Can we talk?" Dani asked nervously fumbling with the hem of her jacket. 

"Go ahead talk then." Jamie answered coldly.

And like it wouldn't be hard enough already Jamie's mood just made it worse. Maybe she should have let some time pass. Maybe she should have waited for her to cool down. 

But the pain Dani had caused her won't change. She knew that and she wanted to be the person to give her the answers. 

"Can I come inside?" Dani asked softly.

Jamie glanced at her and it wasn't loving. 

"I'll be out in a second." 

And with those words, she shut the door behind her. 

Dani knew she screwed up. That running away was such a shitty and silly thing to do, but it's not like she's done it on purpose. 

And she understands that Jamie is angry and hurt, but she can't believe that this is the same person she laughed with only hours ago. 

Tears welled up inside her eyes and she started to miss Jamie, the Jamie she knew.

Even the teasing that made her go mad sometimes and the closeness that made her forget how to breathe. Her lips that belonged pressed against her own. All the happy hormones that shot through her body, when she made Jamie laugh or blush or both.

The door opened again and Jamie stood in front of her again with a pair of black denim jeans and her sleeping shirt tucked in and buttoned up.

"There you go." Jamie said handing her a mug with coffee and taking the brown paper bag outside of the teacher's hand. "You look like you could need it." 

Her voice had a bitter tone to it. It made the hallway feel colder than it actually was. 

At the same time, Dani was appreciative of the gesture. Even though Jamie didn't let her inside her apartment, she still gave her something that belonged to her. It confirmed to Dani that it was still the Jamie, who had deepened the kids just hours ago. 

"We can sit on the stairs outside." Jamie added leading the way.

"Yeah, sounds good." Dani answered trying to sound normal. Her voice was soft and delicate, but it had an edge to it that wasn't there on other days.

They walked along from each other down the hallway. The silence felt suffocating, which was a feeling Dani knew too well. But not with Jamie.

Suffocating was her old life. The tiring wallpaper of their bedroom, the ring that always seemed to slip off her finger, and the wedding dress that pressed into her ribs. 

But the present day was like fresh air. Jamie's smirk as her gaze wandered down her body, which she pretended not to see, her garden that she brought the kids in, and the coffee smell inside Owen's Cafe. 

Dani interrupted the silence that seemed to tighten her throat. 

"Jamie." It sounded small and soft.

Dani came to a hold and Jamie followed her movement. The teacher looked at her the way she just did, that look, which was reserved for Jamie only. 

The gardener inhaled through her nose at the sight of it looking away and breathing out sharply.

"Look,-" Dani said and Jamie did with her gleaming eyes on the American. "-I'm sorry for the way we left things." 

"And how did we leave them?" Jamie asked. Her jaw was clenched and her shoulders raised. "Because we didn't leave them actually." 

Dani looked at her with innocent confusion. 

"You-" Her finger was pointed at Danielle. "-you ran away from me and leaving me in the dark." 

It was the truth, a matter of factly and metaphorically. 

Dani took a step closer to Jamie, who's back meet the wall behind her. 

"And maybe that's best really." Jamie added casually looking outside the window in the hallway. "I like ya, but I also like ma life the way it is." 

The pace of Dani's pulse fastened. Her heart was pumping and burning inside her chest. 

Jamie had her guards up and the American had no idea how to get through it. 

"See Poppins, I'm not gonna waste my time if you're not even sure you're int-" 

"I am sure." Dani interrupted her with her blue eyes alert. 

Oh, how sure she was. She was into women. Actually, she was into one woman. And one woman only. 

"Yeah well, got a great way of showing that." Jamie answered with a thick British accent crossing the arms in front of her ribcage. 

"That had nothing to do with you." Dani said bolder than she felt like meeting Jamie's eyes again. 

The American didn't know how to explain. She didn't know where to start and where to end. 

"Bloody hard to believe." Jamie answered with try laughter at the end and looking away once again. 

Dani understood that it was. 

She wanted to tell her that she was pretty sure she was starting to fall in love with the green inside her eyes and the taste of her lips. But she felt like it was too soon and she was afraid that Jamie wouldn't feel the same way. 

She was so cold after all. 

"I was overwhelmed." Dani said. 

It was the emotion that suited the situation best. 

"This felt so right that it reminded me of the times before when it had not." Dani added, her voice had a steady tone. "Being with you. I- You," 

Danielle was the one to look away this time.

She didn't know how to explain it. 

The panic and fear that crawled up her body sometimes, the undeniable feeling of choking that followed, and her limbs that seemed to stop to carry her weight all of a sudden. The sweat that ran down her body after waking up from another nightmare, the calls she keeps ignoring, and the ring she hides inside her drawer next to her bed. The images that ran through her mind as Jamie leaned away and the tears that followed. 

She also didn't know how to explain that she wanted to kiss her again, tangling their legs together and undress her. That she never felt so confident, comfortable, and awkward, and odd around another person at the same time. That Jamie taught her all the lessons about the love she had been missing out on. 

Danielle Clayton wished that those worlds wouldn't have met, but they did and they probably will again. Because you can't part the good from the bad. They make up a complexity that live inseparable alongside one another. 

Silence had set over them and Dani didn't realize the close watch of Jamie's she was under. 

"The kiss wasn't so bad then, huh?" Jamie teased and her voice was soft again. 

She had her lips pressed together as Dani's eyes locked with hers. 

All the answers that her mind could make up were corny as hell and she didn't want to give Jamie the satisfaction of mocking her for them. 

Dani didn't know what to say, so instead, her lips curled into a smile. 

The teacher's head paused and her heart took the lead like it had last night and one step followed the other. 

Dani saw Jamie's alert eyes and her back stiffening before her lips brushed the gardeners. Her movements were still clumsily and Dani was glad as Jamie's hand cupped her face guiding her. 

It was weird to her. The American had kissed before and not a less amount of times, but each time her mouth found Jamie's it was like she had forgotten. Like she was relearning how to be intimate. 

Jamie tasted like coffee and her soft brown curls tickled. Dani loved having their lips locked, but at this moment it was their closeness that set her heart on fire. 

She wanted to press herself into Jamie and wondered how it felt like when their skin would be glued to one another. But she couldn't because there was a coffee mug inside her hand that was tilted to the side spilling its filling. 

Jamie flinched as the hot brew stained her jeans. 

"Bloody hell Poppins." Jamie whispered looking into the face of a guilty feeling Dani. "I swear, if I wouldn't be so fond of your American ass I'd go-" Danis chuckle made her trail off. 

This felt like them again, Dani thought, and she felt safe. Words seemed to form and escape her mouth like she wouldn't have had a hard time with them only seconds ago. 

"I'm not questioning anything, okay? I've never been so sure of something in my life and I am so sor-" Dani whispered softly. 

"Okay." Jamie nodded breathing out air. "But next time you'll stay. No matter what haunts you or makes you cry like that. You will let me sit it out with you."

Jamie held out her pinkie for Dani to take, who hooked hers into it and watched Jamie kiss it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be hOooT!! This was more in the fluff side I feel like, but also kind of needed. But the tension in the next one...puhh
> 
> Since the chapter is not in Jamie's Pov wanted go say something about hers thou.  
> Dani does not explain a lot to Jamie with words, but Jamie learned to read her expressions and remember her words. So as she watched her, it becomes clear that she's telling the truth and as Jamie had said in the last chapter she won't pressure her to tell her her whole life story, so she doesn't. What made Jamie so cold was her own insecurity about Dani not being into her, not that she doesn't tell her the reason of it. 
> 
> So yeah. Hope you enjoyed.  
> Please let me know what you think :))


	9. Willow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so easy and fun to write, but it's long, so it took me quite long. A big THANK YOU once again to everyone, who commented on the last chapter. All ur kindness is the reason for this one coming TOGETHER AND I'll think you'll like this one. 
> 
> ENJOY. JUST ENJOY.   
> Ps: Might wanna read the last part in private, just sayin

The sun disappeared into the horizon as Danielle Clayton and Jamie Taylor stumbled through the glass door with heavy breaths still escaping their mouths from the numerous stairs they had left behind them. 

"They rented a whole bowling alley just for tonight?" Jamie asked eying the area. 

She wondered what kind of people would do such a thing. 

"Apparently they did." Dani answered gazing around as well. 

From what the gardener saw she could tell that space parted in three. To her left were the allies, to her right a bar and behind the registration counter in the front of them a gaming area with billiard tables and slot machines for gambling. 

"Poppins," Jamie asked using the chance to let her eyes roam over her beautiful body. "What kind of friends do you have? 

"Rebecca is a friend, yes." Dani answered noddingly. "But her boyfriend, Peter Quint-" The teacher paused with a bitter smirk on her lips, which Jamie hadn't seen before. "I consider him my colleague and colleague only and I bet he is to be credited for this."

The gardener already had to remind herself that she did this for Dani. Social occasions weren't her favorite, to say the least, and especially not such flamboyant looking ones with academics dressed in suits and cocktail dresses. Which sane person would bowl in such costume, Jamie wondered. 

"Maybe it's not so much about you being American than." Jamie started looking into Dani's blue eyes. 

The rainclouds that had caused a storm had disappeared and the sea had calmed. Although in this very moment there was a puzzled look written on Danielle Clayton's face. 

"Maybe teachers are just naturally off their trollies." Jamie continued with a confident smirk on her lips. 

Dani chuckled stepping closer to her and Jamie could smell the hint of vanilla in the flowery perfume of the American. 

"Dani, you came." They heard a voice in the distance say. 

"That's what she said." The gardener whispered to herself and the redness emerging in Dani's cheeks told her the teacher had heard it as well. 

Jamie glanced down on herself. The suspenders of her black suit pants fell loosely around her legs and the white blouse she had tied in the front revealed a tight lace top underneath. 

She knew she looked decent and Dani's roaming eyes and bright smile had stated it clearly earlier. 

"Rebecca." Dani exclaimed and her eyes widened as she stepped closer to the light brown-skinned woman, whose black hair was braided to the side and her petite body wrapped inside a light pink dress. 

Jamie was still a bit mad about the fact that Dani's boldness to kiss her had remained absent, since the coffee incident this morning. She missed the feel of her lips on her own and was certain that she wouldn't get a kiss, if they weren't alone. Not that she would want it. The way she wanted to kiss Dani wasn't appropriate with other people around. 

"And you brought someone." The woman, Rebecca, said gazing at the gardener. 

Jamie wondered, if she was tipsy or if she had the habit of speaking over-excitedly. 

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jamie." The gardener said holding out her hand for her to shake. 

It wasn't a lie. The woman had a warm smile and kind eyes, who were currently searching for answers to an unasked question on Dani's face. 

"We-She... Uhm." Dani mumbled looking for an explanation on how they were related. 

Jamie licked over her lips enjoying to see her struggle in such a way after the emotional rollercoaster of the past twenty-four hours.

Last night was rough. Sleep consisted of throwing herself from one side to the other and fighting the urge to punch her fist through the wall. She grew desperate and yearned for answers. 

As the gardener had sighted Dani in the hallway her head told her to slam the door shut, while her heart wanted to reach out for the woman in front of her and draw her in.

She believed Dani after all. Every word of it was spoken in honesty and she could sense the battles of everything that was left unsaid. 

It was such a blessing to see Dani flushed standing by her side with her cheeks turning a shade of red wine.

"We met a couple of weeks ago and-" Jamie said. 

"-became good friends." Dani finished. 

Jamie glanced at the American, who only briefly meet her eyes seductively. 

"Yeah." Jamie nodded. 

She didn't expect Dani to be upfront with her colleagues. It was the 80s after all and Dani's school wasn't known for its modernity and neither did the crowd seem all too inclusive.

"How splendid." Rebecca exclaimed letting go of Jamie's hand. "I'm Rebecca and this is my-" 

Jamie hadn't noticed the man, who had come out of the smoking area, that was making his way around the pair.

"Peter Quint." He said as he positioned himself on the side of Rebecca.

His hair was gelled back and his suit missed a blazer. He had quite the impressive jawline, Jamie had to admit, but his smirk startled her. 

"Danielle, no man along your side as far as I can tell?" His eyes roamed over Dani's body shamelessly. 

Didn't Dani say, he was the boyfriend of Rebecca, Jamie wondered. She questioned, who would do that alongside his girlfriend. If you're gonna be a dick then so be it, but in the near of your partner. That was some next level shite.

"What luck for the fellows." He added smirking. 

Jamie felt like her gag reflex just was triggered and she swallowed hard.

Furthermore, he seemed to ignore the gardener completely, whose back stiffened and jaw was directed upwards. 

"You most definitely need to meet a very dear friend of mine." Peter swung his arm around the woman to his side and laid his podgy fingers on Rebecca's delicate waistline. "Doesn't she, Hun?" 

Rebecca nodded submissively and mumbled: "Yeah."

Jamie felt like she needed a drink or four to last a minute longer with this twat in front of her. 

Dani clears her throat beside her. 

"Peter this is Jamie." The American said shifting her body towards the brunette.

Peter met her eyes for the first time and she wished they wouldn't have. They carried something wicked and she wondered what had happened to make them this way. 

He held out his hand, his gaze clear, steady, and vicious. 

"What a pleasure." He whispered squeezing Jamie's delicate fingers. 

Jamie tried to put on a smile, but to say it worked only barely would still be an understatement. 

He leaned back and focused his attention once again on the American next to her.

"Danielle, his name is Cooper and he works on the Wallstreet, I've-"

What else, Jamie thought. She already wasn't fond of social occasions, but thinking about having to watch a guy flirt with Dani all night, made her stomach knot. 

"Don't we-uh-wanna bowl around first?" Dani asked sounding unsure. 

Peter Twat Quint didn't seem in favor of the offer. 

"I'd love that." Rebecca said supportingly. 

She seemed like a nice person and probably made a good teacher. Jamie could picture her with a class full of gremlins and the breaks spend laughing with her colleagues.

"Me against three ladies or what?" Peter Quint answered laughing bitterly. 

"How adorable. Someone's afraid of losing against a lady." Jamie stated avoiding Peters's eyes that rested on her. 

The gardener felt Dani lean closer to her and Jamie wanted to kiss her quite badly, but now she had a new mission: Destroying Peter Twat Quint. 

"As if." Peter exhaled. "I'd like some real competition."

"Prove that we aren't." Jamie answered, chin up and hands spread. 

***

Truth was, Jamie was completely shite in bowling. 

Additionally, Peter Twat Quint had switched on the night mode of the bowling alley, making the regular lights go off and the neon ones on. Every bright color glowed in the dark. It turned out he was extra like that.

The gardener sat on the bench of the alley and put on the red and blue bowling shoes. As she looked up her eyes landed on Dani, who was going through the shelves on the haunt for bowling balls.

Like she wasn't in enough trouble at this point already, considering that she bowled ones in her life and completely sucked, Dani was also glowing. She was literally gleaming in her light green satin dress that ended a few inches beneath her knee with her blonde hair falling messily into perfect waves at the back.

It just wasn't fair, the gardener thought to herself as she made her way towards the teacher not even trying to be subtle with her glance.

"You know bowling is quite the big thing in America." Dani said without looking up from the ball inside her hands.

Her nails strolled over its oiled edges and her fingers tucked inside its holes delicately. Jamie watched as they slipped in and outside of the ball making her mind wander into a land of inappropriate images.

The gardener cleared her throat. 

"Is it?" She asked absent-mindedly licking over her upper lip. 

"Thank you for doing this." Dani said turning to Jamie and catching her gaze. The tone in her voice changed and she spoke more quietly as she said: "We can leave anytime, I promise." 

The offer appealed to the gardner more than anything, but it would be a walk through hell to resist Dani at this moment if they were alone, and she had unfinished business to complete anyway.

"I'm glad to hear, but I'm counting on beating Peter Quint's ass before that." Jamie answered looking through the bowling balls herself because she couldn't stand the desire inside of her that was created by Dani's alluring gestures alone.

"Sounds lovely." She heard Dani's voice say with a hint of bitterness.

The gardener only now recognized that the bowling balls had numbers imprinted. She picked up a glowing green one that said fifteen.

"This one will be too big on you. You're more of eleven to thirteen." 

Jamie looked up at her. 

"How'd you know?" 

Dani avoided the question and held the ball inside her hands out for Jamie to take.

"Try it." She whispered quietly. Her eyes were bright and alert.

Jamie's eyebrows raised into her hairline and she pressed her lips together. 

She loved flirting with Dani, but this seemed oddly sexual to her and she didn't know how to deal with the situation, which felt remarkably unusual to the gardener.

First of all did she not mind making the move that leads to an intimate time and secondly did she want to be close to Dani and let her fingers leave traces in all sort of places.

Still, the skin on her hand began to perspire and her mouth appeared strangely dry. She wanted to put the situation off with a simple 'Poppins', but the word just did not seem to leave her lips.

Dani's eyes darkened and she chuckled a little, seemingly aware of Jamie's internal discussion.

Jamie wondered, what was going on inside of her. She never got insecure, nervous, or shy about such terms, but she felt all three of them at this very moment.

"Just try it." 

But she also never felt for anyone the way she felt for Dani. 

Her fingers slipped into the ball and she held onto it, feeling its weight.

"Fits." Jamie states quietly taking a deep shallow breath. She didn't dare to look into Dani's eyes.

Peter Twat Quint came to the rescue after all and put his hands on the waist of both of them, drawing them in.

"You ready to lose?" He asked cocky and Jamie felt like throwing the ball inside his face. 

Instead, she was sure to free herself of his grip fastly and walk towards the alley.

Rebecca went first and asked Peter Twat Quint for his help. He guided her body and hand gently, pressing himself against her and having the ball kick out four pins. 

Afterward, it was Dani's turn, whose hips swayed alluringly from one side to the other.

Jamie didn't know what it was about today, but something between her legs tensed even just looking at her now. Maybe it had been the fear of losing her or the color of this dress with the fairness of her skin or the boldness of her kisses. Either way, it left her feeling feverish and yearning.

She stood up and leaned over the shelves that withheld the bowling balls.

"Oi mate," Jamie yelled at the waiter that was making his way through the groups in front of the counter. As she had his attention she continued: "Could I get two glasses of red wine, please?"

She heard a dull sound of wood hitting a hard surface behind her and turned around again.

"A strike." Peter exclaimed clearly surprised and exhaled a dark version of: "Danielle."

It made the gardener's stomach twist once again, before her senses cleared. 

"I wonder what other hidden talents we don't know about." Peter Twat Quint snickered.

Jamie watched, Dani take the seat next to Rebecca on the bench seemingly uncomfortable.

"My turn, innit?" Jamie asked cracking the silence.

Peter Twat Quint, who sat in the booth in the middle of the alley nodded approvingly.

Jamie picked up the bowling ball that Dani had suggested. She breathed in deeply and wished she would have watched the teacher, considering she had no clue on how to even hold onto the ball correctly.

She didn't understand this game. Was it about simple math, luck, or technic, Jamie marveled. 

Either way, she stepped to the beginning line, and her fingers tensed inside the ball. Well, technically she should be good in this game if it was about the work of the hands. After all, she was a gardener and well... 

With a swing of her arm, she let go of the ball. It landed on the offside of the ally, missing every single pin. The gardener closed her eyes. 

"You're really proving yourself as my competition, aren't ya?" She heard the twat laugh behind her.

Jamie hated to give him his satisfaction. At least Dani turned out to be a promising player.

The time she turned around to pick another ball her gaze rested on the floor. She repeated the steps inside her head: dig your fingers into the bowl, breath in, step to the red line, position in the middle and let gravity do the work of swaying the ball inside her hand until she let go of it.

It rolled off the ally once again and she felt a rage inflame inside of her. The gardener hated this nuts game with a burning passion and hearing Peter Twat Quint laugh behind her once again, made her wonder what injury a bowling ball could possibly cause.

"It's your turn to prove yourself now." She heard Dani say confidently.

"Gladly." Peter Twat Quint answered and Jamie could practically hear his mischievous smirk.

Jamie turned around and was glad to see two glasses of wine inside Dani's hands. Now she really needed the sensation of its burn in the back of her throat. 

"You'll get the hang of it." Dani said optimistically with a kind smile as she handed Jamie a glass.

She took a long gulp, before nodding.

"Rebecca, you want something to drink?" Dani asked.

"Oh yeah, white wine would be splendid." Rebecca said kindly, but something was worrying in the glance of her eyes.

"I got you." Jamie answered calling for the waiter and ordering.

Peter didn't land a strike like Dani, but he accomplished a splash after all, which was, how Jamie learned when you kicked out all the pins within two turns.

It was Rebecca's turn before her wine arrived and Peter Twat Quint rushed to her rescue once again. Afterward, it was Dani's turn, who Jamie didn't resist to look at this time, having a close watch on each of her steps. 

"Good luck." Peter Twat Quint whispered as Jamie got up from the bench. 

She would have liked to bunch the prat inside his face. 

"Put it up your ass instead, will ya?" Jamie answered angrily. 

She couldn't contain herself anymore. The way he was treating Rebecca, the way he looked at Dani, and the way he spoke to her bottled up inside of her and were about to become a Molotov cocktail. 

The gardener was trying for Dani. She kept reminding herself, but she couldn't for the life of her deal with Peter Twat Quint. 

Jamie positioned herself in front of the red line holding onto the ball inside her both hands breathing in sharply as she felt a light hand resting on her left shoulder. 

"I'm sorry if I'm ruining this." Jamie blurted out without thinking, her eyes remaining on the pins at the other end of the alley. 

"You are far from it." Dani whispered and Jamie could hear a smile. 

She wanted to turn around, but what if her gaze was too much to handle, Jamie wondered. 

"I just wouldn't mind shutting him up." Dani continued. "Your thinking too much you know?" 

"Am I?" Jamie asked. 

Was she, the gardener questioned herself. She thought that if she might stand here long enough the technique it took would simply play in front of her mind. 

"Just think of something else." Dani whispered inside her ear. 

Goosebumps crept up on the gardener's body and she wondered if Dani could tell. 

"Think about me." Dani said simply. 

Like Jamie would think about anything else longer than ten seconds. 

"Naked." She whispered even closer to her ear. 

She felt Dani's presence leave as she exhaled loudly. Like her boldness wasn't the greatest turn on already, now images also flooded her mind.

Images of Dani shedding off one line of clothing after the other. 

The gardener didn't even realize that she had let go of the ball as she heard Dani yell behind her excitedly: "Strike!" 

Maybe this game wasn't so silly after all.

****

Jamie Taylor swung her body around on the barstool she was seated at. The light was dimmed and the music had a pleasant volume. 

Her eyes landed on Dani, who was surrounded by Peter, Rebecca, and the man that turned out to be Cooper. Minutes ago she was part of the assembly, but as soon as a chance to leave offered itself she took it.

She knew Dani fitted their world, better than the gardener did and wouldn't mind handling them on her own. For Jamie, these people were a pain in the ass and the mentioned topics in her presence hadn't bothered her the least. 

Still, she didn't like having to watch Cooper gaze at Dani the way he did, but she could not act on it from close up either. 

Jamie raised the glass of wine to her lips as a figure appeared in front of her stealing her view. 

The woman's long black curls fell to the side of her face. Her features were dark and edged, like Jamie's herself. She wore a grayish shade of eye shadow and had deep red lips with a bright wide smile.

"I'm Theodora." 

Jamie thought it was uncommon to greet someone with their name directly. There was no usual 'Hello' or 'Hey there'. It revealed a lot about the self of Theodora, but something told Jamie that the woman was aware of the effect it had. 

"Saw you beat Peter Quint's ass in a game of bowling earlier." 

She had. She actually had. 

"Thank you for destroying his ego at least for a second or two." Theodora went on sitting down on the barstool next to her without unlocking their eyes.

After Dani's whispered advice and just enough anger towards Peter Twat Quint she seemed to have gotten the hang of it.

It felt like a good sign that Theodora didn't seem to be in favor of Peter Twat Quint and she was actually glad to be approached by the only other woman that didn't wear a dress.

"Well, I guess you belong to Rebecca's friends then?" Jamie asked smirking. 

She wasn't gonna lie to herself, Theodora was attractive and something about her attitude struck her. Likewise, the gardener got the impression, that Theodora was the kind of woman that got what she wanted when she wanted it. It was just something about the way words rolled off her tongue and the gestures that supported them.

"Damn right." She answered smirking back. Just like Dani, she was American, she could hear it clearly. 

"How about you?" She asked supporting her body with one arm on the counter next to them. "Are you related to Peter Quint?" 

"Please, would have jumped off a fuckin' bridge if so." Jamie answered rolling her eyes. 

"Excuse me then." She smiled with her shiny white teeth out. "Just took a guess, because of the bone structure."

Jamie looked at the black-haired woman in surprise. 

"He might be a douché, but he's got a jawline for days." Theodora stated. "Yours might be even sharper after all. You definitely wear it better." 

If the untraditional way of dressing and her straightforward attitude didn't give it away beforehand then this would. Theodora seemed to appreciate women in the same manner as Dani and herself.

"Waiter," Theodora called out without taking her eyes off of Jamie. "Could I get two shots, please?" 

She had blue eyes like Dani, although they had a completely different effect, due to Theodora's dark features, while everything about Dani's appearance was light and sunshine.

"You don't mind, do you?" Theodora asked. 

The gardener nodded in approval and she wondered if Theodora was her type.

"Didn't get your name, yet." 

"Jamie." 

"Jamie," Theodora repeated and her smile grew. "I met Rebecca in college, how about you? How has it come I've never seen you before?" 

The gardener let the last drops of red liquid run down her throat.

"Might be because I do not know her." Jamie answered putting down her wine glass on the counter. "I'm a friend of one of Rebecca's current colleagues and she tucked me along."

"That makes sense." Theodora answered nodding approvingly. Her smirk did not seem to fade. "I surely wouldn't have forgotten your pretty face." 

The shameless flirting of Theodora was refreshing, but it didn't completely reach her. Jamie was aware of the woman's attraction and charm. Furthermore, she found the allure of Theodora enjoyable, but it didn't set her heart out of pace like she was used to with Dani.

"How does an American end up in a British college?" Jamie asked curiously instead of returning the teasing.

She loved to flirt and tease, but she did not wanna lead Theodora on. It wouldn't be fair.

"For one it's a lot faster and secondly Europe is just marvelous. The study programs fitted my learning abilities quite perfectly." Theodora answered honestly.

"Wouldn't know much about it. I didn't study," Jamie said confidently. She didn't mind admitting it although it felt like a crime around the people inside this room. "-which makes me probably the only one around here."

Theodora shrugged before saying: "What do you do then?" 

She didn't seem to care and Jamie was glad. She didn't mind putting up with someone looking down on her for being less educated, but it felt nice to be in a non-judgmental company. 

"I'm a gardener actually." Jamie answered proudly and feeling the waiter behind them. 

"You're good with your hands then?" Theodora asked smirking once again. 

This woman was smooth, but Jamie was undoubtedly mad for someone else.

"Theodora-" 

Jamie spotted another woman at the back of the bar eying them or rather the black-haired beauty alongside her.

"Call me Theo." Theodora smirked confidently.

"It's odd. See Theo,-" Jamie started to explain. "You're not exactly my type, but I'd still go for you under different circumstances." 

The gardener guessed, that Theo reminded her too much of herself. They both were quite dominant and brought firey energy to the table.

"It's my charm though, innit?" Theo asked with a smile. 

Jamie smiled back. Whatever person will get to be with Theo could call themselves lucky for sure, but there wasn't a better place for the gardener than alongside Dani. 

"But-" Jamie went on with her eyes wide and ignoring Theo's comment. 

"I got brought from the blonde right over there." Jamie pointed to Dani, who had already been glancing at her with a look she couldn't recall written inside her face. "That's Dani, she's American as well and works with Rebecca and Peter."

"You sure, you are her type?" Theo asked curiously eying the blonde. 

She knew what Theo was referring to. Danielle Clayton gave a look of picture-perfect alongside the Wall Street men that surrounded her. One even placed his hand around her delicate waistline that not even the gardener had the chance to explore yet. She hated the sight and it made her tremble with anger.

"One can't tell, can they?" Jamie asked with her lips pouted. 

"Don't you wanna help out your girl then?" Theo asked. There was a hint of bitterness, but it was decent considering that Jamie had just turned her down.

Cooper was letting his hand wander over her back and down her beautiful body. Gosh, how she wished to unsee this.

"She's quite bold actually." Jamie answered and hoped to see Dani free herself out of his touch. 

And the American did.

"See."

Theo nodded and turned around again. 

"Excuse me than Jamie, not gonna step between you and Barbie then." Theo went on eying the two shots standing on the top of the counter. "Unless you want me to of course."

Her eyebrow was raised and her lips curled into a playful smile.

"I'm good, but you're a catch." Jamie admitted. 

"Will you have this drink with me either way?" Theo asked kindly and she felt like the layer of teasing dropped between them.

"Bloody hell yes." Jamie replied. "But there's a woman, long dark hair, petite figure and Asian looking features at the back of the bar you should definitely buy a drink later." 

"Really?" Theo asked raising her shot glass and looking around.

"I'm sure of it." Jamie answered.

The gardener raised the shot glass to her lips and smelled its spicy hint, but the hem of the glass didn't reach her mouth. Instead, the delicate fingers of someone else were wrapped around it. 

Jamie couldn't even comprehend Dani's presence as fast as she threw her head back with the glass emptying. 

"Damn Poppins." Jamie said shaking her head. Her heart started to fasten up and she couldn't believe her body was mushy like that. "Go easy." 

The teacher slammed the empty glass on the countertop, before holding out her hand for Theo to shake.

"I'm Dani." The teacher said looking sharply at Theo, who was shaking at the bitter aftertaste of the liquor. 

"I've heard." Theo answered smirking at Jamie. "I'm Theo." 

She shook Dani's hand delicately and Dani nodded trying to force a smile.

"What have you guys been up to?" The teacher asked trying to sound subtle, but Jamie couldn't hear each crack.

"Just kept Jamie some company." Theo answered smiling kindly. "But I've got somewhere else to be now."

The black-haired woman winked at Jamie, before getting off the barstool.

"I'll see you around, Jamie." Theodora said before nodding towards the teacher. "Dani."

The gardener liked the refreshing way of Theodora. She stuck to her American ways and there was no hint of Britishness to be found. She almost hoped to see Theo again, wondering what kind of person she was.

"What was that about?" Dani asked with a steady look inside her eyes.

Jamie chuckled, if even the allure of Theodora passed her completely than there really was no threat. Jamie wanted Danielle Clayton and no one else but her.

"Why are you snickering?" Dani asked sounding almost angry.

"Sorry Poppins, just-" Jamie explained. "-don't worry." 

She reached out for her hand and Dani took a seat on the empty barstool. Jamie squeezed her hand shortly, before removing it.

"How's Cooper?" Jamie asked with a bitter taste inside her mouth.

Dani just breathed out to the side rolling her eyes.

"Well, good for me then." Jamie stated. "Can't say I enjoyed the view of him touching you like that." 

"I certainly made sure he kept those hands to himself from now on." Dani breathed out. "But God are men persistent."

Jamie just nodded. She wouldn't know.

Danielle was beautiful. She was like a gleam of light at the end of the night as the morning began to settle in. Her presence carried warmth and tenderness. The gardener wondered if other people looked at her and saw the same elements that Jamie grew aware of overtime. Danielle Clayton's spirit naturally drew one in, but did they see what she saw. How her wicked brain could move mountains and her blue eyes had the courage to calm the sea. How her heart could make a room feel warmer and her body could bewitch a forest.

"Jamie." Dani said and her name sounded a thousand times softer than when anybody else said it. "What is it?" The teacher asked as her lips curled upwards.

"I would kiss you, if I could."

***

Jamie's body slammed against the wooden door inside one of the cabinets of the restroom. Dani's lips clutched hungrily against her own and pressed her head against the hard surface. 

She loved the feel of it. 

Additionally, Dani made those delightful small sounds that underlined the hunger and desire she had withheld for Jamie's lips. The gardener felt high on them and wondered how much more vocal she could make her. It became urgent for her to find out, but she wouldn't without the consent of the gorgeous woman pinning her against the wall.

Fear crept up on the brunette, remembering the last time she wanted to ask for Dani's approval.

She leaned back nevertheless, trying to press their foreheads together, but the American's lips were glued to Jamie's yearning for more. It made the gardener chuckle into the kiss.

With her hands, she cupped Dani's face pushing her head away softly. 

"You sure?" Jamie whispered breathing heavy. She had much more oxygen left inside her lungs, but the length of Dani's body this close to her made Jamie experience sensations she never had before. 

The American nodded delicately and looked down at the gardener's lips. Everything that made Jamie realize Dani's desire for her heated up her body. 

"Yes." Dani whispered in a pitch the gardener didn't recall. 

Jamie smiled into the kiss whispering an inaudible: "Thank fuck", before locking Dani's soft like wine tasting lips with her own. 

Her hands reached out for Dani's hips finding them directly and pulling them in. A soft moan escaped the teacher's mouth and Jamie craved for more, but she felt Dani's body stiffen underneath her touch. 

The American leaned back and Jamie saw a look of surprise written on her face. Moreover, she could sense a hint of guilt and embarrassment, but Jamie wanted to hear about none of it. She didn't want to waste a single second on talking. Rather she wanted to make her moan louder, whimper at the sensations, and cry out if she had to. Jamie wanted nothing more than to unravel all the small secrets and mysteries that Danielle Clayton's body withheld. 

The gardener smiled at her comforting before covering the teacher's lips with her own once again. Furthermore, she pressed her hips away from her making her stumble a few steps backward before her body slammed against the hard surface of the cabinet with their lips intertwined.

As her back hit the coldness of the wooden material she groaned out. It gave Jamie the opportunity to slide her tongue inside Dani's. Additionally, she titled her head until their tongues collided.

Jamie heard Dani whimper and it made her feel all sort of ways. The tension between her own legs rose and her desire reached another level.

"Can I touch you?" Jamie whispered with her eyes closed and lips brushing against Dani's as she spoke. 

The American hooked her fingers inside Jamie's black trousers pulling the gardener closer and having Dani's mouth escape a begging: "Please do." It withheld a desperation that Jamie would have mocked her for under different circumstances, but she wasn't sure, which of them was more desperate in this second.

The gardener kissed Dani slowly. Almost painfully slow and it took Dani a moment or two to adapt to the new rhythm, but eventually she accepted the pleasing torture gracefully. It gave Jamie the time to let her hands wander from Dani's hips up the length of her curves.

Her fingers traced downwards, over the satin material of her dress until she reached her bottom pushing Dani's figure further into herself. The sensation of the heat of their bodies pressed together made Dani groan once again, but louder this time.

Jamie watched Dani rest her head against the wooden wall, biting down on her lip to get control over the sound, which made her feel the warmth between her own legs spread.

Dani's eyes fluttered open and she grabbed Jamie's hand. At first, the brunette thought the teacher wanted to hold onto her hand, but as Dani had rested her hand above the gardener's guiding it underneath the hem of her dress it became clear that her intention laid elsewhere.

"Dani, you sure?" Jamie asked to astound.

Making out is one thing, but leading her hand into that area seemed a lot more significant. Bloody hell did she wanted to touch Dani until sweet release washed over her.

Dani planted another kiss on Jamie's lips for an answer. Their tongues flicked alongside one another and in between breaths small moans rushed outside the blonde's mouth.

"Fuck yes." Dani whispered so quietly that Jamie wondered if she had heard it even at all. Only one other time had she heard the teacher swear before, but gosh was it attractive. 

It almost pushed her over the edge, but if that wouldn't then it was the thought of Dani desired to be touched by her. Good thing, that at this moment her head was on standby and unable to think.

"Jamie." Dani moaned as she guided her hand further underneath her dress. Her name groaned by Dani was another sensation her body didn't know how to handle yet and it sends shivers through each part of it. 

Jamie pinned Dani against the wooden surface pushing her leg between Dani's thighs. Her head slammed against the cabinet surface making a dull sound and having her breathe out roughly. 

The gardener saw Dani's dangerously fastened heartbeat, but either way, she let her hands move underneath the delicate fabric of the dress. Moreover, she fiddled with the sidelines of Dani's lacey underclothes moving its left side down about a centimeter or two.

Her hand wandering in this region made something inside the blonde shift. She freely let moans escape her mouth showing Jamie the appreciation of her delicate movements. 

It wasn't all too much about teasing Dani, but instead, Jamie wanted to explore each sound and centimeter of unrevealed skin, which was to blame for taking her time. Her fingers pushed down the sidelines of the American's lingerie only slightly each time making her hand wander from the right to the left and back again until it hang loosely around her thighs. 

She could easily slip her hand in the place Dani wanted her to, but not just yet, instead she traced the inside of her thigh up until she felt the soaked cotton of Dani's underwear and.

It was then that she heard footsteps outside the hallway. 

The American didn't seem to notice, since her hips grinded into Jamie's touch and placed hungry kisses on her lips.

"Dani?" 

Jamie's nails dug inside the soft skin of her inner thigh, making Dani cry out from all the nerves that were triggered. She was fast to cover her mouth with her wrist, but the sound didn't stop, it just became dull. 

"Dani, you alright?" 

It was Cooper, Jamie recognized. She bit down on her lips removing herself from Dani. 

"Perfectly." She breathed out chuckling to herself. 

Jamie watched her. The way she leaned against the wooden surface, her hair wild and swollen blood-red lips. Moreover, her dress sat in all the wrong places and her lingerie peaked out from underneath. Danielle Clayton exhaled beauty and temptation.

"You sure?" Jamie heard Cooper ask. 

Jamie couldn't believe he ruined this moment. She had access to the whole of Dani's physique, and he dared to interrupt. Although maybe it was for the best after all. She could not have paused, except if Dani told her to, and she didn't want their first sexual encounter to be inside the bathroom stall of a silly celebration of her teacher's colleagues. 

"Yeah," Dani breathed out moving up her underwear again smiling at Jamie. "Why-" She had to breathe out again. "Why don't you grab me another drink and wait for me outside?" 

She didn't want to watch Cooper making his moves on Dani, but it would be okay, because he would never get to taste her and she didn't want him to caress her like she desired to be touched by Jamie.

"Okay, I'll wait outside." Cooper answered. "Don't keep me waiting too long, babe." 

It made the gardener's stomach knot, while Dani rolled her eyes. 

"Let's leave."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS GOT HOoOt. 
> 
> I'm so thrilled to know what u guys think! Please let me know! 
> 
> I've been a bit behind on planning out the next chapters, so if you got requests please let me know as well. I'd be happy with new ideas to spice up my own. 
> 
> I hope this might brightened up ur day a lil. I most definitely wish u a very wonderful one. Much love <3


	10. Ivy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all. I'm very sorry for the late update. Life has been a mess and I hope u believe me when I say that I still did my best for this story. 
> 
> Second of all. This chapter turned out quite different from what I planned it out to be, but I think you will appreciate it ;)
> 
> Thirdly. Merry Christmas. This chapter has something that feels like Christmas to me :))

Danielle Clayton's eyes blinked open as the daylight peeked through the foreign window shutters. Although this wasn't what pulled her mind outside of her dreamland, instead it was the unfamiliar smell that flooded her nose. The comfort of the bed felt different in comparison to the old mattress inside the hostel and the blanket on top of her body provided her with actual warmth for once.

The blonde's head pounded and her limbs felt weary. Her mouth was dry and her eyes couldn't even be forced to stay open, which was the reason she turned away from the light and snuggled tighter into the sheets.

After dozing in and outside of sleep her head eventually seemed to start working properly as she wondered in whose bed she was actually laying, but her memories seemed clouded. She tried to remember the events of the past night, but the scenes stopped to unfold at the same point each time.

The long steps her feet made after walking outside of the restroom of the bowling alley. Jamie's fingers intertwined with her own and feeling all flushed and feverish and yearning. Afterward, there was just a blank.

The question of 'Where was she?' haunted her once again.

First of all Danielle Clayton scanned the bed, which to her relief resulted to be empty, but it hadn't served her with the answer she was looking for either so she continued to look for clues.

Fear crawled up her limbs and settled around her spine. Would Cooper have been able to talk her into coming home with him, the American questioned. Or talk her into taking things even further?

Her fingers grasped for the white sheets and tore away the blanket as fast as one would remove a bandaid. Ease washed over her and she exhaled loudly. Not only did the teacher found herself fully clothed, but it also gave away in whose bed she had been sleeping.

A pair of grey shorts sat tightly around her thighs and an oversized black and orange squared flannel covered her body.

Obviously, she was glad to be protected by the walls that the person she trusted most called her home, but just because her figure was coded didn't mean she didn't sleep with someone. Not just anyone. Jamie, to be exact.

Why couldn't she remember a thing? Dani grew almost angry. She wanted to know how she got here and the reason for waking up alone inside the bed of the person she thought would enjoy sharing it with her. The American prayed that nothing had happened between the both of them, because when it did she wanted to remember.

Questions over questions formed inside the teacher's head making her temples pulsate, until a dull sound from the other side of the door distracted her from the pain.

There was only one way to find out what had happened and Dani knew the answer laid in the adjacent room.

Embarrassment stained the teacher's cheeks and uncomfort rose inside her tummy. The American didn't expect this to be the emotions she would experience as she woke up inside Jamie's bed for the first time. And she most definitely didn't expect to be waking up alone in the king-sized bed. Especially not after their rushed moments inside the restroom last night.

Danielle Clayton began to examine the room as the bottom of her feet met the brown wooden floor.

A clock stood on top of the shelf aside from the window and read at 11.02 am. Must have been a long night for her to wake up this late, Danielle thought. Plants adorned the shelf and the rest of the area. As far as the teacher's untrained eye could tell they were flourishing and blossoming, but what else was to be expected with Jamie as their keeper, Dani reckoned.

She paused in front of the mirror in the corner of the bedroom and took a quick glance inside. Just like yesterday morning, she didn't seem to be in her best state. There were make-up stains and dark circles underneath her eyes, but unlike the day before she recognized the person looking back at her.

Her hand reached out for the wooden doorknob and with a deep breath, she turned the handle. The Americans steps were uncertain and careful as she walked inside the unknown room.

Theoretically, she had to pass the space before reaching the bedroom and it feared her that she couldn't remember. The compartment seemed like a combination of a living room and a kitchen.

Her gaze didn't even have to stroll around for long to find the person she was seeking.

Another wave of relief washed over her and certainty settled inside of the American. She was safe. There was Jamie and this was her home she had invited the teacher in.

The last time she glanced at Jamie was inside the bathroom stall. Danielle Clayton remembered not daring to look at the gardener afterward again. For one to avoid the knowing smirk she knew played around her lips and secondly, to avoid the green eyes that had darkened since her hand had slipped between her thighs.

Jamie didn't seem to take notice of the blonde, who decided to appreciate the view. Dani watched the gardener's feet dance around the kitchen aisle. She seemed awake and continued the process of making coffee as her lips muttered the lyrics of a Blondie song the teacher didn't recognize. The unique voice came from the record player to the teacher's right and she wondered how the volume hadn't disturbed her sleep.

This room, just like the gardener's bedroom, was covered in greenery. Dani didn't know how to put the furnishing style into words except that it was very much like Jamie.

Dani wondered, if the brunette had invited her on free terms or if something leads to it. A slight sense of fear and a high dose of discomfort sneaked up on her once again.

"Good Morning." Dani voiced. Her throat sounded sore and it felt dehydrated. Jamie's back had been facing the teacher, which was part of the reason for her boldness of speaking up.

Danielle carefully placed one foot in front of the other as she made her way towards the gardener. The blonde noticed how Jamie hesitated before turning around, but as she did her face withheld a surprised expression as well as a bright smile.

The teacher was sure she had never seen a smile carry this much warmth and she was also certain to have never seen it on the lips of her gardener before.

As soon as it had relieved her it threatened her just the same. She grew once again aware of her unknowing of their actions of the past night.

"Good early afternoon, Poppins." Jamie answered holding closer onto the French coffee press, which was filled with a dark black brew.

Dani smiled back nervously tucking at the hem of the buttoned-up flannel.

"How did you sleep?" Jamie asked smiling with a quick roam down the teacher's figure. Dani watched as she grabbed two mugs outside the cupboard. Just like Dani herself, the gardener was dressed in something that could be considered a pajama. A pair of pants fell loosely around her hip and down to her ankles with a Rolling Stones shirt revealing one of her shoulders.

"Good." Dani answered inhaling sharply. She had many questions play around the inside of her mind and felt like the tension wouldn't leave her body until answers arrived. "Did you-uh-did we–slee-"

"I spend the night on the couch." Jamie answered with wide eyes and nodding while her hands pressed into the counter supporting her body.

Dani was surprised that Jamie was even able to make out what she was about to ask. Furthermore, there was this kind of smirk and soft eyes that made her breathe more deeply.

"Can't you remember?" Jamie asked and her forehead wrinkled.

Dani shook her head in response looking down at her fingers that kept tucking at the hem of the shirt.

If Jamie spent the night on the sofa it was unlikely that she had rolled around her between the sheets before and touched her in all the ways she wanted her to.

"Well, how much-uh-can you remember?" Jamie asked sounding a little uncertain.

The teacher looked up and watched the gardener as she made her way around the kitchen aisle and stepped towards her with ease.

"I remember-" Dani started to say as the gardener placed herself in front of her.

Jamie's eyes were alert and Dani gazed at her as she reached out for her hands and held onto them with great delicacy.

"I remember walking back to the bar, after-" Danielle said and green eyes were locked with her own.

Jamie's hands felt warm and her body was petite and alluring. Dani felt safe, but she didn't dare to speak out about the events that took place inside of the restroom. Moreover, she was sure she once again couldn't put it into words, which made her degree in English seem useless once again.

"Almost gotten worried you would have-uh-forgotten about the-," Jamie said quietly looking with her green eyes deep into her soul.

How was it possible for a person to turn her on within the blink of an eye and in the next second let her heart overflow with gratitude?

"I'm pretty sure I won't ever forget that-" Dani whispered nervously and saw the gardener lick over her upper lip before smiling to herself. "But I can't remember anything afterward."

Jamie nodded knowingly, before leading the teacher's hand to her lips and planting a kiss on the back of it. It was a soft and sweet sensation and made her skin tingle in a funny way.

"Well, you had another drink with Cooper after-" Jamie smirked at the last word and let go of the blonde's hands. It speeded up Dani's heart rate. "Eventually I got you away from that twat and we left." The gardener went on sounding bitter as she made her way around the aisle. "Maybe it was Theodora's shot or the variety of what you drank, but either way it made you something beyond tipsy."

Oh no, Dani thought and she felt her cheeks began to redden.

"After you fell asleep on the car ride I thought might as well bring you home instead." Jamie explained reaching for a pan. "I showed you the bed and gave you something to change into and spent the night on the couch."

Dani watched carefully as the gardener pulled open the refrigerator door and closed it with her elbow again. The teacher would be perfectly content spending her day looking at the beautiful brunette.

"Hope it was okay that I brought you here. You agreed to it in your drunken state, but might as well look different once one is sober again." Jamie said clearing her throat. "So was it?"

"Yes, very much." Dani answered absentmindedly and Jamie smirked as her gaze wandered over the American's body.

Despite the confusion of waking up in a stranger's bed, which turned out to be not as unfamiliar after all, she was glad to be here. Dani could only imagine what a pain she must have been to be around.

"Why did you choose to sleep on the couch?" Danielle asked and saw Jamie shaking her head in disbelief with a smirk on her lips. "You wouldn't have had to." The teacher said knowing what she implied.

Dani positioned herself on the side of Jamie and watched as she added flour to a bowl.

"You snore, ya know?" Jamie asked and looked up at the blonde.

"No, I don't." Dani answered with raised eyebrows and handed her the milk carton.

"You don't." Jamie stated seriously meeting her eyes briefly.

Danielle Clayton could guess, since Jamie was well Jamie, that she took the space on the couch to wait until she consciously decided to sleep next to her. How could she even think that Jamie would sleep with her in a state of drunkenness? Jamie would never.

"I am deeply sorry." Dani said looking at the light blue wall across from her. "For everything."

The past two days, the teacher had felt like she had more than once proven herself to be too much to handle. Moreover, the last time she had gotten drunk past the point of losing memory had been the night of her engagement. Her life was so different now. She wanted to remember each second and the liquor had seemed to cloud her head for half of the night. Remorse is what she felt.

"Poppins, as long as you don't snore I think we're alright." Jamie answered with a playful smirk on her lips.

The tone of the gardener's voice revealed that she had gotten the meaning of Dani's saying, but had chosen to stick to the lightness of the Sunday morning.

"Alright." Dani nodded.

She wondered, how she had gotten this lucky. Jamie's responses and ways of dealing with her being were better than Dani could have ever wished for. Gratitude filled her heart and all the negative emotions seem to leave through the window shutters.

"Are you trying to make breakfast?" Dani teased and watched as Jamie cracked open an egg messily and fished for its shell inside the ingredient bowl. "Or are you trying to get back at me for having you sleep on the sofa?"

Jamie smiled at her and bit down on her lip.

"Very funny mate." Jamie muttered clearly struggling. "How about you give me a hand instead of mocking me Ms. Clayton?"

Dani couldn't ignore the inappropriate images flooding her mind.

"You are underestimating the pleasure I feel seeing you struggle." Dani teased smirking at the gardener.

"Well, there would be a different pleasure awaiting you." Jamie mumbled into the mixing bowl.

"Is that so?" Dani teased back feeling bold and yearning. Jamie's touch still lingered all over her body.

The gardener didn't look at her as she replied: "See, originally I planned on waking you up with the breakfast finished. Might prefer you still curled up inside my bed and-" It took all the power within Danielle to not smile as bright as the sun shined outside of Jamie's little flat at the sound of that. "-not having you be unappreciative of my kindness before I had my first coffee." 

The smirk on her lips made it clear to Dani that she was joking. 

"What can I say I just enjoy the sight of your frown." Dani giggled and watched Jamie string the whisk inside the bowl. 

"You know what I enjoyed?" Jamie asked facing Dani with her entire body and although they were the same height the teacher felt small all of a sudden. 

She surely knew what she had enjoyed and it had something to do with getting pinned against the cold surface of the wooden door inside the restroom. She missed the pressure of the gardener's body against her own. 

Dani realized she had been asked a question, which she had guessed to be rhetorical, but Jamie gazed at her seemingly waiting for an answer. The teacher shook her head.

"A not so sober Poppins telling me how pretty I am and begging me to undress her." Jamie said confidently with her lips curling into an arrogant smirk.

Well, that sure sounded like something the teacher could imagine her love-sick self doing. The embarrassment had crept up so many times in these early morning hours that it almost seemed odd when her cheeks weren't a dark shade of red.

The teacher watched as Jaime inflamed the stove and poured some sunflower oil into the pan. She had figured out by now that she was making pancakes for breakfast.

"You can't blame me for the first one." Dani said shyly looking at the wall across from her.

In the corner of her eye, she saw the brunette nodding and could imagine her widened dark green eyes that normally went with the gesture.

"But did you?" Dani asked biting down on her lips having images of Jamie undressing her play out inside her mind. If she did, she would curse the past night for not getting to remember it.

Dani had known how attracted she was to the brunette aside from her, but after the situation inside the restroom, it had reached a completely different level.

"No." Jamie answered. The teacher wondered, if the gardener hadn't wanted to or if it was once again Jamie being her kind and respectful self.

"Oi, it's not like I wouldn't have,-" Jamie added quietly and Dani could imagine that she might have started to frown a little. "-if you were sober."

Images of Jamie pulling her close and pressing her against the fridge flooded her mind and she grew aware of the missing underwear underneath Jamie's clothes. She regretted the shoot deeply, but Cooper's company had made her grow tense and the smirk on Jamie's face as she talked to Theodora had tipped her over the edge.

"Not gonna lie and say it wasn't tough to resist you though."

Her lips looked red and were pouted as they heard the sound of burning oil behind them. The gardener turned to face the oven once again and flipped the pancake gracefully.

If Jamie continued saying those things and looking at her in the way she does, Danielle couldn't guarantee to beg her to undress her once again.

The American cleared her throat instead and filled herself a glass with cool water. A change of topic would feel nice, Dani, whose fingers trembled with desire, thought to herself. The worst and best part was that they were alone here. They were inside Jamie's flat and nothing was interrupting them. Nothing stopping them from going all the way.

"Did you have a good time yesterday?" Dani asked absentmindedly. Jamie smirked at the wall across from her with wide eyes in response, which made the teacher aware of the double meaning implied. "Not the-uh-" They just couldn't get away from this topic could they, Dani questioned. "I meant the celebration." 

The teacher stepped behind the brunette leaving only a little space between her front and the gardener's back, which seemed to tense at the realization of it.

"I had a good time beating Peter Twat Quint's ass. And well-"

Dani nodded, knowing what the gardener was about to say, although Jamie could probably not see. 

"How about Rebecca?" Dani whispered being close enough for her to hear it. 

"She's kind and in my opinion nothing that Peter would deserve." Jamie answered and the teacher could hear the focus she paid on having her voice not shake. 

She closed the last centimeters between herself and Jamie planting a kiss on the revealed skin of her left shoulder. It made the brunette's back stiffen and her breath got stuck inside her throat.

"Is that okay?" Dani whispered as she placed one hand on the delicate waistline of the gardner.

"Mhmm" Jamie responded with an inaudible sound.

Danielle Clayton felt like she never had gotten to hold something this precious and desirable. It wasn't strange to hold a woman like that, but it felt unfamiliar and she was eager to explore more. Her lips met the soft skin of Jamie's shoulder once again making her way up to her neck slowly. Her hands moved away from the brown curls that covered the sensitive spot along her neck delicately.

Jamie's tight hold around the kitchen table and the uneven rhythm of her breathing pace told the American that the gardener enjoyed her touch. Dani didn't know what it was, but her movements felt more skilled than they had before. Maybe it was because the green eyes weren't able to send shivers down her spine with the brunettes back facing her. 

As her lips had reached the skin behind her ear Danielle could hear Jamie whimper and felt her lean further into the touch.

How had this become her life, Danielle Clayton wondered. The realization had taken her by surprise at this moment, but she held onto a person she desired and cared for. Someone she felt emotions she didn't know existed for.

The blonde made her way down to her shoulder once again. Sometimes her lips lingered for longer and sucked at the spots that made Jamie breath out shakily.

"I think uh-" Jamie breathed out as Dani had reached another sensitive spot. "the-uh-panca-" She nibbled on the soft pale skin turning it a shade of red.

"Dani." Jamie whispered and breathed through her nose.

The teacher paused her movements. 

"How do you feel about breakfast in bed?" Dani asked feeling bold and craving.

"Dani."

"Or don't you like the ide-" Dani couldn't even finish the sentence before Jamie's lips were pressed against her own. Her hands tucked on the blonde's hips having her stumble backward until her bum is pushed into the middle aisle that parts the kitchen space from the living room area.

The American couldn't control the small whimper escaping her mouth at the surprise of Jaime's embrace, which wasn't unpleasant at all. Dani swung her arms around the gardener's neck pulling her closer. 

"I cannot resist you for the life of me anymore-" Jamie whispered against Dani's lips, who moved her hand to the gardener's cheek. "-so can we have breakfast so I can focus on something bloody damn different for one second-" Dani kissed her neck once again feeling Jamie's hot breath close to her own ear. "-other than you inside my flat-" Jamie breathed out and Dani lingered on the spot that made her breath out more roughly. "-in my clothes-" Jamie added and Dani wondered how she was still able to speak with her breathing as disrupted as it was. -all bloody damn night."

With the last word, she leads Dani's mouth to her own once again and pushed her leg between the blonde's thighs, because she knew it would earn her a moan and an opportunity to slip her tongue between the teacher's lips.

"Than don't-resist-me." Dani whispered between kisses and she meant it. 

Jamie leaned back resting her forehead against Dani's like she always did when she was about to ask for approval, which Dani adorned her for. Nevertheless, it drove her mad all the same considering that she wanted Jamie with each cell. 

"I'm sure." Dani whispered and Jamie chuckled against her lips.

She felt the gardener press her into the surface more aggressively, but she enjoyed to taste how desperately Jamie had desired her. The brunette's skillful fingers played with the hem of her flannel tucking at it and she remembered the words about her having wanted to be undressed by Jamie. Danielle Clayton surely begged for it now. 

"May I?" Jamie smiled against her lips tucking at the material once again. 

"Please." Dani begged. She was aware of the desperation that her voice withheld, but it was authentic and it made Jamie kiss her even harder.

She felt the gardener's hands unbutton the first button of the flannel right above her chest area. With each move, a part of Jamie's hand brushed slightly above her breast, and if Dani knew one thing then that each step by Jamie was done in awareness and none of it was without a purpose. Just the speed of untying the buttons made her wonder how her own unskillful way could even turn the brunette on. But something surely did, because she could see her heartbeat fastly and heard her breathe hitch ever so often. 

As her fingers had reached the last button Jamie's head pressed against Dani's once again. The both of them looked down at the revealed skin of Danielle's.

Jamie's eyes were dark and she kept biting down on her own lips. Her trembling fingers moved over the inside of the flannel from Dani's neck to the end of the material slowly and carefully.

Dani couldn't help the sounds escaping her lips. She was never the type to be vocal during sexual activity and especially not outside of the bedroom, but in the past two days, Jamie had proven her differently. There was also just something about the way that it made Jamie's touches intensify, which unlocked even sharper sounds within her. She loved this, although the pressure made her feel like going mad she also loved the teasing and tender touches. 

Despite wanting her Jamie always seemed to take her time. To the teacher, it always seemed like Jamie didn't want to rush a thing and miss out on any sensation that she could make the woman in front of her feel.

Dani kissed her hungrily as her hands held onto the bare skin of her waist underneath the material. As her fingers started to move upwards the heat rose within her and so did the volume of her sounds. Eventually, her jaw tilted upheavals, which allowed Jamie to plant kisses alongside her neck as her hands moved around the corners of her chest careful not to touch where she certainly wanted the gardener to touch her. 

Dani felt inflamed with no thought on her mind. There was just pressure and tension, desire, and yearning. She couldn't react to Jamie's touches anymore either. Instead, she wanted to be embraced by her fully. Have her body explored in ways she never had by the woman she lov-

"Bloody hell." Jamie whispered against her lips. "It's Sunday." 

The teacher only now noticed the ring that came from the telephone in the back of the living room area. 

"You don't wanna get that, do you?" Danielle asked shyly tucking at her shirt and felt Jamie smile against her lips.

The gardener's hands guided Dani's underneath her own shirt and placed them on her waist, which made the teacher chucklee into the kiss. The phone continued to ring and Dani could feel Jamie growing tense.

"Damn it." She said pushing herself off of Dani and giving her lips a last peck. 

The blonde instantly missed the warmth of the woman's body and felt herself frowning.

"This better be good mate." Jamie said before grabbing the telephone angrily.

"What?" She yelled into the phone and Dani had to giggle at the emotion that got invoked in Jamie when they got disturbed. Dani watched the gardener, who's curls fell messily around her face and whose taste still lingered on her lips. 

"Oh, Jesus Christus." She heard Jamie say and saw that a worry played across her face. "I am so sorry Owen."

What happened, Dani wondered.

"Give me 5."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably rate this as mature from now on hehe.
> 
> ALSO, the last scene is a little bit more messily explained, because this time it is Dani's perspective, who is the one feeling all those things and when u feel them u don't notice step by step as the one doing it like Jamie in the last chapter. DO u get it? I hope u do hehe :)
> 
> Are you enjoying the calm before the storm? Please let me know what you think! 


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